Doctors Without Borders

Published purpose

(December 2011) Ethiopia is still suffering from the effects of the worst drought in sixty years, with an estimated 4.9 million people, including more than 260,000 refugees, requiring humanitarian assistance. In the worst-affected areas, in the south and east of the country, food insecurity and loss of livestock have led to high rates of acute malnutrition and the devastation of livelihoods, particularly amongst pastoralist communities. In addition, the influx of refugees fleeing conflict and famine in neighbouring Somalia has further strained the local capacity to weather the drought. With CIDA support, Doctors without Borders (MSF) is helping to meet the immediate health needs of an estimated 211,000 Somali refugees and Ethiopian host communities in and around the Dolo Ado refugee camp in the Liben Zone of Somali Regional State, Ethiopia. MSF's activities include the provision of emergency medical and surgical services, therapeutic feeding for acutely malnourished children, emergency obstetric and neo-natal care, and the provision of water and sanitation services as required.