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Food shortages threaten Rohingya refugees
The Leda site in Teknaf, southern Bangladesh is home to 13,000 unregistered Rohingya refugees who over the past few years have fled oppression and human rights abuses in their native Myanmar. There are around 200,000 Rohingya living in Bangladesh but only a few are staying in camps where they have access to basic services. The rest are living in slums or informal settlements.
Life for the refugees living in Leda is very difficult. Poverty and disease are rife but one of the most serious problems is malnutrition, especially amongst young children. Malnutrition stunts the growth of children and leaves them vulnerable to other illnesses such as diarrhoea and respiratory infections, which can be fatal.
Feeding centre for children
Shahidul Islam works at the therapeutic feeding centre set up by Islamic Relief in Leda. He explains how it works. “This centre cares primarily for children under five and pregnant women who are moderately or severely malnourished by providing them with calorie-dense, fortified food.
“Children who are severely malnourished stay at the centre for around 12 weeks. They come each day at 8:30 in the morning and stay until nine in the evening. During this time they are fed every two hours. Moderately malnourished children come to the centre twice a day where they are given check-ups and food to take home with them. The food is made according to a local recipe so that it not only provides for all their nutritional needs but is culturally appropriate for the refugees.”
Reaching vulnerable people
To try and improve the health of the refugee community, Islamic Relief has appointed and trained Hygiene Promoters who carry out door-to-door visits to each family. As well as teaching people ways to keep themselves and their children healthy, they also assess children for signs of malnutrition and refer them to the therapeutic feeding centre where they can get the care and treatment they need.
Like all the other medical services provided by Islamic Relief in the camp, the therapeutic feeding centre is open to Rohingya refugees as well as the local Bangladeshi community. In Bangladesh rates of malnutrition amongst children are high; around 45 per cent of children are underweight, and 13 per cent actually have wasting.
Essential aid in difficult times
This region of Bangladesh is especially vulnerable to food shortages especially during the monga or hunger months before the harvests. It is also routinely affected by natural disasters such as floods and cyclones that wipe out crops and add to shortages of food.
“At the moment we are providing care to 149 babies,” said Shahidul. “Most are from the refugee camp but some are from the local village. In this area there are often food shortages especially during the monsoon season when there is little work, so we provide care to any child who needs it.
“As well as providing children with specially fortified food, we also treat any other health problems they may have. Malnourished children are vulnerable to diarrhoea and respiratory tract infections; because they are so weak these can be fatal if they are not treated.”
What is Islamic Relief doing? | Food Security | Ramadan appeal
