Nutrition and health needs in drought-stricken Africa

Many of the conditions no doubt have already improved in those areas where international relief efforts are under way. The comments made here are based on observations by my colleagues and myself during the emergency phase of the famine and refugee crises and perhaps should be considered more as lessons learned that are better applied to newly emerging situations than to those relief efforts already in progress. In summary, the highest priority emergency health requirements identified during the current crisis have been, in my opinion, the provision of food and supplementary and therapeutic feeding, measles immunization, vitamin A prophylaxis, and oral rehydration therapy, plus the two management issues--rapid needs assessment with continued monitoring and adequate allocation of resources to prevention and control activities. One final note--from discussions with colleagues who were involved in the 1973-74 drought and famine in Africa, this crisis appears to be a repeat. A comprehensive, long-term approach would be beneficial so that these emergency responses are no longer necessary.