Nutritional status, migration, mortality, and measles vaccine coverage during the 1983-1985 drought period: Timbuktu,...

Mali was affected by the drought across the Sahel in 1983-1985. The present study describes the demographic and nutritional status in the Timbuktu region in May 1985, and contributes to the little data available for Mali during this period; malnutrition rates are compared to two other drought affected areas in the Sahel. Sixty cluster samples were selected by proportional sampling methodology; thirty children less than 110 cm were selected in each cluster, to approximate children 'under 5 years'. Among the 1798 children 'under 5 years' studied, 28 per cent had weight-for-height less than -2 SD of the NCHS median. A total of 8291 persons were included in the demographic study. Nineteen per cent of the region's population emigrated during the year prior to the study; 40 per cent of all adult males were involved in this emigration. The annual Crude Mortality Rate was 39 per 1000 population. Measles vaccination coverage was 47 per cent based on vaccination card and 60 per cent based on history and card among children 12 months to 5 years of age.