On May 13,Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) set up a stabilisation centre to provide 24-hour medical care to severely malnourished children suffering from complications such as malaria or pneumonia in Ropi, Oromiya region.

Since then, two more centres have been set up in Senbete Shinquille and Shashemene, Oromiya region.

In total, 927 children have been admitted to these three centres, with 290 currently receiving care. Children who are not suffering from complications are treated on an outpatient basis in "outpatient therapeutic programmes" (OTPs). They are provided with therapeutic food on a weekly basis, but are able to stay at home with their families. They return to the OTPs every week to be monitored by MSF medical staff and can be referred to a stabilisation centre if necessary.

In Oromiya, MSF has 11 OTPs in various locations throughout the region. On June 2, MSF teams also started working in the Kambata zone of SNNPR. One stabilisation centre has been set up in Kachabira district. As of June 13, 150 children were receiving medical care there.

Four OTPs have also been established, two in Kachabira district and two in Hadero district. In the last two weeks, over 900 severely malnourished children have been admitted into these programmes and are receiving therapeutic food.

In the coming days, MSF will continue to expand its activities by increasing the number of OTPs in both Oromiya and SNNPR. In addition, MSF teams will continue to carry out assessments in order to identify the worst affected areas and respond where necessary.