UNICEF Kenya Flash Situation Report No. 6 (Drought): October 2022

The drought situation continues to deteriorate in 21 out of the 23 ASAL counties in Kenya, due to the four failed consecutive rain seasons and the depressed October – December 2022 (short rains) season. Fourteen counties are in ALARM phase; 7 are in ALERT phase and only 2 are at NORMAL phase, and drought is affecting about 4.5 million people, (compared to 2.1 million in September 2021), of these approximately 2.14 million are children.

A total of 10,316 children (5,406 girls and 4,910 boys) were admitted for treatment of severe acute malnutrition and 184,582 caregivers, families and community members were reached with nutrition messages in reporting period in the target counties in October.

A total of 164,715 people (41,152 men, 42,826 women, 39,531 boys and 41,206 girls) were reached with safe water through the rehabilitation of 39 non-functional boreholes and solarization of 6 boreholes in Wajir, Marsabit, Garissa, Mandera and Turkana counties in October.

A total of 25,730 people (4,271 Girls, 4,538 Boys, 10,127 Women and 6,794 Men) were reached with critical life-saving integrated outreach services linked to targeted and supported health facilities in October.

A total of 5,022 out of school children (2,320 girls & 2,702 boys) in the counties of Baringo, Samburu, Kwale, Turkana and West Pokot were supported to re-enroll in school in October. School dropouts due to lack of water and school meals are being reported.

5,555 children (2,903 girls, 2,652 boys) reached with access to mental health and psychosocial support.

2,058 households consisting of 2,606 children (1,324 girls and 1,282 boys) reached with humanitarian cash transfers, integrated with other UNICEF-supported outreach services, such as nutrition and health treatment, plus referrals for child protection cases and disability card registration.

UNICEF’s funding requirements to provide life-saving services in health, nutrition, WASH, protection, and education over the period the period April - December 2022 has been revised to align with the revision of the Kenya Flash appeal and stands at US$ 126.9 million with funding gap of US$ 91.9 million or 72 per cent.

Source: UN Children's Fund