SOMALI NUTRITION STRATEGY 2011 – 2013 - ReliefWeb

4
Preliminary results of the meta-analysis
also highlight how the situation has been
consistently worse in South Central
Somalia than Puntland or Somaliland.
In South Central Somalia, median rates
of stunting were found to be 29.7% and
wasting 18%; this compares to 20%
stunting and 17% wasting for Puntland
and 18% stunting and 13% wasting for
Somaliland (see figure 3). This reflects
the devastating effect of chronic political
conflict and insecurity in South Central
Somalia in particular.
Rates of malnutrition also vary according
to livelihood system. Briefly, preliminary
results of the FSNAU meta analysis of
data 2001-2008 revealed that riverine
and agro-pastoralist groups had the
highest median rate of wasting, stunting
and underweight suggesting a higher
nutritional vulnerability to shocks – floods,
drought, displacement, disease outbreak.
Rates of malnutrition among the urban
population tended to be lower, reflecting
better access to a diversified diet and to
public services including health.
The recent National Micronutrient
and Anthropometric Nutrition survey
conducted between March and August
2009 in all three zones, has highlighted
micronutrient malnutrition is a significant
public health problem throughout Somalia.
The prevalence of both nutritional
anaemia and vitamin A deficiency among
women and children of all age groups
was found to be above WHO thresholds
for classifying a severe situation in each
of the 3 zones (see figure 4).
Figure 2: Annual National Median Stunting rates 2001-2009
stunting rate %
Figure 3: Malnutrition rates by Zone in Somalia (2001-2008)
prevalence %
Median proportion (%)
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year
13.3
NW NE SC
15.8
18.2
16.85
20.0
29.65
14.15
Wasting Stunting Underweight
Anaemia
Source: FSNAU 2010
19.0
26.7
Source FSNAU data
Figure 4: Prevalence of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency
amongst children and women
6-59mths school aged children pregnant women non-pregnant women all women
Vit A deficiency
Source FSNAU data Micronutrient Study
1.2 Determinants of malnutrition
Malnutrition results from a complex set of factors and not one simple cause. The UNICEF conceptual
model of causes of malnutrition (page 16) provides a useful framework for the discussion of the
causes of malnutrition in Somalia. The volatile political situation and civil unrest have led to a
chronic and continuing humanitarian crisis that is at the root of the high prevalence of malnutrition
in Somalia. Somalia is also prone to drought and floods. Many of the environmental and man
made shocks have been multiple and recurrent, over stretching families’ coping mechanisms
resulting in inadequate access to and availability of food at household level.