• With continuous movements between the Cameroon-Chad borders, an estimated 20.000 refugees are currently located in the town of Kousseri in North Cameroon
• The two temporal sites of Madana and CETIC serve as refugee camps although UNHCR and the Cameroon government envisage a larger site some 32Kms from the border with a 100.000 capacity.
• An emergency humanitarian intervention has been launched by the government of Cameroon in collaboration with concerned UN Systems in Cameroon namely; UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, WHO, International Humanitarian NGOs, etc.
• UNFPA, with a combined Cameroon and Chad Country Office team of RH specialists, a gynaecologist and gender based violence expect are already responding to the needs of the refugees and host communities.

The relocation to the new site is scheduled to commence on Saturday 16th February 2008. When this operation kicks off, a total of 2.000 refugees will be relocated per day. This will allow for more accurate data collection and needs assessment.

Starting this evening as from 5:00pm, will be the distribution of None Food Item (NFI) Kits to the refugees of the smaller sites. These kits comprise of materials from various UN intervention agencies. Distribution of NFI kits in the larger camps of CETIC and Madana is programmed for tomorrow Wednesday.

UNFPA RESPONSE

• A needs assessment joint team comprising of UNFPA Cameroon and Chad staff (03 medical doctors and 01 Gender based violence expert), have been in Kousseri since Friday 08th February to carry out a rapid reproductive health and gender based violence needs for appropriate rapid intervention
• The UNFPA-Cameroon/Chad team in Kousseri has registered a considerable increase of RH related complications at the Kousseri district hospital. This includes 29 pregnancies and delivery related complications; 03 caesareans; 02 uterine ruptures including 01 maternal death; 03 extra-uterine pregnancies; 02 obstructed labour cases; 04 pre-term deliveries and 02 miscarriages.
• UNFPA – Cameroon’s contribution to the NFI kits consist of undergarments, detergents, toiletries, buckets and feminine hygiene accessories for women and girls of childbearing age. The cost is estimated at 5.750.000frs CFA.
• An assortment of emergency obstetrical care materials, equipments, contraceptives and condoms worth 20.352.530frs CFA pre-positioned in Bertoua, is being deployed to Kousseri.
• UNFPA is also preparing emergency capacity reinforcement of already existing health structures in terms of equipments/materials and human resources; ensure emergency training and sensitisation on emergency obstetrical care, STIs, HIV and AIDS, gender based violence prevention and treatment.
• Before the week runs out, the UNFPA Kousseri team will be reinforced with a gynaecologist, a humanitarian crisis doctor and two senior technical advisers for census operations. The census experts are expected to proceed in a head count of the refugees and host populations

For more information, please contact
UNFPA Reproductive Health experts in Kousseri
• Dr Takou Polycarpe, Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator – Chad Office
  Email: polycarpe.takou@undp.org Tel: +237 9471 0870
• Dr Mah Jean Alain, Provincial Adviser –R H –North Province
  Email : mah-jeanal@yahoo.fr Tel: +237 7752 2272
• Dr Essomba Essomba, Provincial Adviser –R H –Far North Province
  Email: edessomb@yahoo.fr Tel: +237 9644 0169

UNFPA Gender based violence expert in Kousseri
• Bibiane Nyiramana , Gender based violence consultant – Chad Office
  Email: bnyiramana@yahoo.com Tel: +237 7961 7810

UNFPA – Cameroon Country Office focal points
• Dr Amadou Traore, Chief Technical Adviser – Reproductive Health
  Email: atraore@unfpa.org Tel: +237 9952 9372
• Caroline Kilo Bara, Communications Officer
  Email: bara@unfpa.org Tel: +237 9629 0841