Highlights
· Since the crisis in North of Mali in February 2012 the caseload of refugees in Burkina Faso increased to a peak of 49,945 at the end of 2013, of which 27,146 were children.
· Children admitted for SAM treatment in refugee camps in 2013 was 422 cases.
· 9,986 children, 99% of the UNICEF target, benefited from recreational and psychosocial accompaniment through 30 safe and protective child friendly spaces. While UNICEF, UNHCR and partners are revising unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) statistics through the UNHCR biometric registration process, 98 unaccompanied and separated children (22 girls and 76 boys) benefited from a full package of interim care.
· Biometric results are due to be published in February 2014.
· The Back-to-School campaign for the 2013/2014 academic year, targeting refugees and the host communities in areas affected by the Mali crisis, has resulted in a large increase from 4,652 in 2012 to 13,778 children in 2013 with access to formal and non-formal basic education.
· The water network in Mentao camp was extended during 2013 in all areas including the Child Friendly Spaces. Water provision has also been stable at 18l/person/day, close to the internationally accepted standard of 20l/person/day. 200 new family latrines have been constructed in Mentao camp during 2013; sanitation coverage remains at 20 person/latrine in Mentao and 14 person/latrine in Goudebou (20 person/latrine being the internationally accepted standard).
· For the Sahel nutrition response, the cumulative number of children newly admitted for SAM treatment in 2013 is 60,097, 63% of the annual UNICEF target (these results are still partial with 75 per cent data completeness). UNICEF’s WASH-in-Nutrition strategy has supported 500 health centres to deliver the WASH minimum package over the year and 10,000 WASH kits have been prepositioned in health centres in 11 regions in the country.
· During 2013, no measles or meningitis cases were reported in refugee camps thanks to UNICEF and partners’ support in vaccination. The total number of meningitis cases nationwide was much lower than in 2012 with 7,022 cases registered and no meningitis outbreak notified in 2013. A cholera prevention campaign was successful; no cholera cases have been confirmed either in refugee camps or in other vulnerable parts of the country.
