The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis
The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis
The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis
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Case Study<br />
32 Forum 2009: Climate Change – <strong>The</strong> <strong>Anatomy</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>Silent</strong> <strong>Crisis</strong><br />
Ethiopia — Drought, flooding and<br />
diarrhoea outbreaks cause death<br />
and suffering<br />
As seasonal rains stop falling, drought sets in and severe food shortages prevail across many<br />
parts <strong>of</strong> Ethiopia, affecting approximately 25 million <strong>of</strong> the 78 million Ethiopians. 96 Approximately<br />
100,000 children are believed to suffer acute malnutrition, 96 and over 46 percent 97 <strong>of</strong> the population<br />
is malnourished. 98 Over the past two decades, five major droughts have occurred in this country,<br />
leaving many families unable to recover and pushed to the brink <strong>of</strong> survival. 98 Agriculture accounts for<br />
over half <strong>of</strong> GDP and employs more than 80 percent <strong>of</strong> the labour force, but less than 1 percent <strong>of</strong><br />
farming land is irrigated and drought quickly brings food shortages. 98 Weakened by food shortages,<br />
people are more susceptible to diseases like diarrhoea. Dehydration caused by diarrhoea kills<br />
approximately 20,000 children every year in Ethiopia, and 40 percent <strong>of</strong> the population does not have<br />
access to improved water sources such as piped water, protected springs or hand-pumps.<br />
When it finally does rain, it pours and further deaths and suffering result. Rain variability and<br />
severity is increasing in many areas, triggering some <strong>of</strong> the worst floods in Ethiopia’s history<br />
during 2006. 98 For example, flash floods in Dire Dawa, the second largest city in Ethiopia, killed<br />
almost 250 people and displaced thousands. 98 This increases the risk <strong>of</strong> diarrhoea. Over 400 people<br />
died during an outbreak <strong>of</strong> acute diarrhoea in 2006. 98 <strong>The</strong> problem is likely to only worsen in the<br />
future and further add to the disease burden in Ethiopia.<br />
Key Sources: Red Cross and Oxfam