Nairobi, Kenya, 30 July 2023 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the European Union (EU) have concluded a partnership to provide integrated health services in both Kakuma and Dadaab (Hagadera) camps, located in the northwestern region of Kenya. The program included bolstering access to quality health and nutrition services, with the aim of reaching camp residents, which include refugees and asylum seekers from Somalia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The EU has supported this program with a contribution of 5.5 million euros.
The East Africa region has been experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent decades. Although Kenya has finally experienced good rainfall this past season, after four consecutive low rainy seasons, the country has seen a steep rise in food insecurity, with a resulting uptake in cases of malnutrition. Almost 4.5 million people in Kenya are experiencing hunger, with around 1 million children under 5 experiencing acute malnutrition.
This especially affects the over 623,000 refugees and asylum seekers Kenya is currently hosting; in the Hagadera camp alone, patients in the IRC clinic experiencing malnutrition rose by 95% last May. The sustained reduction in food rations is one of the factors underpinning the nutritional crisis in the camp. Growing malnutrition continues to pose threats to the well-being and general health of camp residents, especially for young children. Acute malnutrition has also made the general population more susceptible to illnesses, infections, and diseases such as malaria.
Since 1992, IRC teams have been delivering lifesaving emergency aid including healthcare, women’s protection, and legal rights education to refugee populations and their host communities. Our health, nutrition, and conflict resolution programs in Kenya have delivered critical care to over 300,000 people a year, including nutrition support for malnourished children and supporting refugees and vulnerable Kenyans to start businesses and rebuild their lives.
The EU-funded program ensured access to out and in-patient services in the camps, ambulances, a clinic for survivors of sexual assault, support for mental health, awareness-raising within communities about preventative health methods, as well as screening and treatment for malnutrition. Through this program, around 390,000 individuals were reached.
Irene Bosire, Deputy Director of Programs for IRC Kenya, said:
"The IRC’s presence in both Kakuma and Hagadera have only cemented how urgent the needs of the populations are — especially those of young children. With climatic events such as drought and rain only serving to exacerbate the health and nutrition crisis refugees continue to face, many residents risk losing their potential to live fulfilling and healthy lives, or to support their families and communities. Continued funding from the European Union is vital so our teams on the ground can remain available and ready to provide critical health care and treatment for those who need it."