A joint high-level mission led by the Ministries of Health and Agriculture and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), joined by UNICEF, visited drought-affected woredas (districts) in Somali and Oromia regions on 21 and 22 February 2022 to reaffirm the commitment of the Government and the United Nations in Ethiopia to a robust drought disease outbreaks response. The high-level delegation included Minister of Health, Her Excellency Dr Lia Tadesse, State Minister of Agriculture Honorable Dr Meles Mekonnen and State Minister of Agriculture (livestock) Honorable Dr Fikru Regassa, WHO Representative in Ethiopia, Dr Boureima Hama Sambo and FAO Representative in Ethiopia Ms Fatouma Djama Seid.

"The drought in Oromia and Somali Regions has affected the lives, livelihoods, health and wellbeing of our people in the affected areas. We need to continue and intensify our collective response to mitigate the impact on our people." H. E. Dr LIA Tadesse Minister of Health, Federal Democratic Republic of ETHIOPIA

"We at WHO would like to reaffirm our commitment to support the drought and health emergency response, including through the
provision of medicines and medical supplies and vaccination campaigns." Dr Boureima HAMA SAMBO WHO Representative, ETHIOPIA

MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF SOMALI REGIONAL STATE
The joint high-level mission met with H.E. Mustefe Mohammed Omer, President of Somali Regional State. H.E. Mr Mustefe discussed pressing health and wellbeing issues of the region with the visiting mission and requested sustained support from partners to address these needs.
"We appreciate the support the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, and the two UN agencies - WHO and FAO - provided as part of drought response efforts in our region." H. E. MUSTEFE Mohammed Omar, Somali Region President, Federal Democratic Republic of ETHIOPIA

GODE DISTRICT - SHEBELLE ZONE, SOMALI REGION
On 21 February 2022, the delegation arrived in Gode and was received by the Acting Head of Shebelle Zone, Mr Abdullahi Ibrahim together with the Deputy Head of the Somali Regional Health Bureau, Mohamoud Jidhon in the presence of WHO and FAO field staff. The high-level mission visited a stabilization centre for the clinical management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) at Gode Referral Hospital, which is admitting increasing numbers of children for the treatment of SAM with medical complications. WHO supports the centre through capacity building, mentoring and supportive supervision of the centre’s staff using adapted WHO guidelines and SOPs, as well as through the provision of nutrition kits and medical supplies necessary for clinical management of SAM. WHO also supports drinking water quality testing and the mission had an opportunity to observe a demonstration of this by a WHO WASH expert at the hospital.

During the high-level mission, WHO delivered 43 metric tons of critically needed medicines and medical supplies for use at the hospital and to be distributed to other drought affected districts in Shebelle Zone. An additional 7 metric tons of supplies were delivered to the Somali Regional Health Bureau on the same day, totaling 50 metric tons to the region. The delegation also visited the drought-affected community of Hadawe Kebele in Gode Woreda and observed the effects of the drought on livestock, and delivered the animal feed supplied by FAO.

DUBLUK DISTRICT - BORENA ZONE, OROMIA REGION
The joint high-level mission traveled to Dubluk Woreda (District) in Borena Zone of Oromia on 22 February 2022, where they were joined by UNICEF Representative a.i. Mr. Gianfranco Rotigliano. The mission was received by the Deputy Head of the Zonal Administration, Mr Abduselam Wario in the presence of deputy heads of zonal health and agriculture offices and WHO, FAO and UNICEF field staff, and briefed about the pressing health and wellbeing needs of the zone.

The joint mission visited Dubluk Health Centre, including a stabilization centre for clinical management of children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM), and observed a demonstration of field drinking water quality testing by a WHO WASH expert. The mission also handed over 31 metric tons of critically needed medicines and medical supplies provided by WHO for drought response to the woreda health office. The mission also delivered animal feed supplied by FAO to the drought-affected community in Dubluk.
WHO supports Borena Zone and Dubluk Woreda through capacity building, mentoring and supportive supervision using adapted WHO guidelines and SOPs, as well as through the provision of nutrition kits and medical supplies necessary for the clinical management of SAM. WHO also supports drinking water quality testing.