Cebu City – The evacuees of Barangay Alaska, Mambaling in Cebu City call for help as they aim to recover from the devastation brought about by the recent fire and exacerbated by the Super Typhoon Odette that hit them hard. Needs expressed include food, potable drinking water, hygiene kits, and housing materials to start life anew.

The cry for assistance was relayed thru the members of the Regional Nutrition Cluster that visited the area two days after the devastating typhoon did a double whammy to the lives of the evacuees. The Nutrition Cluster is one of the sub-clusters under the Health Cluster. This is an interagency body led by the government and supported by non-government and faith-based organizations and development and humanitarian partners responsible for nutrition response during emergencies.

Members of the Regional Nutrition Cluster conducted rapid nutrition assessment to children and pregnant women, distributed Vitamin A supplements to population at-risk, breastfeeding counseling, and set up lactation stations in the evacuation site, among others in the evacuation sites of Barangay Alaska, Mambaling.

There are about 900 family-evacuees, where 6 out of the 9 pregnant mothers are nutritionally at risk, and from the 160 children that were assessed, 13 are moderately acute malnourished or nutritionally at-risk based on their mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) assessment.

During the assessment the WASH or the water and sanitation hygiene was a big challenge in the evacuation area, safe access to safe drinking water was also limited. Thus, cases of diarrhea might be expected.

The fire victims and now the victims of typhoon Odette of Brgy. Alaska Mambaling is further challenged to stand life again. But with the help of local government, concerned agencies, and individuals, they can bounce and build back better. With our collective efforts, we can help them and face the new year with hope. NO I Christine April M. Lopez, RND