India’s total number of COVID-19 cases has dramatically risen to over 18 million as of 29 April, with more than 300,000 cases reported for seven straight days and with no immediate signs of slowing down. These have been the highest numbers of reported cases and deaths since the pandemic started, and medical experts believe that the numbers are even higher with many cases not reported from rural areas. The reported national fatality rate is at 1.11%, with medical supplies running out especially oxygen, and that people have been resorting to the black market. Hospitals and crematoriums alike are overwhelmed, and hotels and railway coaches are being converted into critical care facilities to make up for the shortage of hospital beds. It is predicted that after Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, will emerge as the next COVID-19 hotspot in the country. The state may report over 1.9 million daily cases by the end of April. Maharashtra and Gujarat in the west, Haryana in the north, and Madhya Pradesh in central India are all facing an oxygen shortage. In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, some hospitals have put “oxygen out of stock” boards outside, and in the state capital Lucknow, hospitals are asking patients to move elsewhere.

ACT India Forum has convened and agreed to raise an appeal, and the initial intervention will be to support people that are sick at home or quarantined with cash to buy their medicines and other emergency needs. Implementing members will also focus on communicating to the communities about infection prevention and control including information on vaccines, and they will be working with churches and other faith leaders to this end.

A Global Coordination Call is being organized by the ACT Secretariat on Monday, 03 May 2021 to understand the needs and coordinate a timely and efficient ACT response.

Alert India Covid-19 Crisis

On Sunday morning, April 4, 2021, flash floods and landslides caused significant damage in 11 districts of East Nusa Tenggara: Flores Timur, Malaka, Lembata, Ngada, Alor, East Sumba, Sabu Raijua, Rote Ndao, South Timor Tengah, Ende, and Kupang city. In Timor-Leste, over 76 percent of the affected population are in Dili, the country’s capital.

Indonesia National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) reported around 55 casualties and 24 people missing in Indonesia and several areas are still submerged by floods and mud. UN agencies reported about 12,980 people were affected in both Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Seven other municipalities were affected in Timor-Leste with 21 reported casualties.

A total of 256 people were evacuated in the East Flores area. Seventeen houses were washed away, and 60 houses were submerged in mud, with five bridges became inaccessible in three affected villages. In East Sumba District, 54 households or 165 people were displaced, while another 109 households or 475 people were affected by the flood, and 19 villages were affected. In Malaka District, 22 villages are inundated by flash floods, and yet so far still no further information for any victims that has been recorded, but most of the community is still flooded.

ACT Indonesia Forum (ACTIF), through Indonesia Christian Association for Health Services (ICAHS/PELKESI) and YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU), plan to respond in East Nusa Tenggara through ACT Alliance’s Rapid Response Fund (RRF). PELKESI is supported by their local partners, CD Bethesda, GKS Synod, and Lindimara Hospital.  They are conducting their rapid assessment and plans to provide health services, shelter materials, food, drinking water, and protection services. YEU has started distributing materials to provide soup kitchens in Flores in collaboration with the local church, GMIT Synod.

Church World Service is responding in Dili, Timor-Leste using their own funds initially distributing hygiene kits and household cleaning items to help the affected residents.

ALERT Indonesia and Timor Leste Flash Floods

Going into its third year of severe economic recession, Lebanon faces its worst and hardest depression ever since the end of the Lebanese Civil War that went on for 15 years. Between the Syrian refugee influx crisis, street protests, COVID-19 pandemic, dangerous depletion of resources, Beirut port explosion on August 4th, 2020, protracted absence of a functional cabinet and overlapping economic, financial and social crises, Lebanon grapples to survive on the edge of collapse.

The ACT Lebanon Forum is planning on submitting a funding proposal to ACT Secretariat to ensure that the affected persons’ basic needs are met with regards  targeting Shelter/ NFI’s, food assistance, Health, Protection/MHPSS, WASH including the response to COVID-19, Early recovery/livelihood,  Education and CASH assistance  sectors.

Lebanon Crisis- Alert

Since the year 2021 began, people in South Sudan continued to suffer with high humanitarian needs. Protracted conflict and negative impact of floods, COVID-19 and desert locusts has contributed to an extended and complex humanitarian crisis.

The complex humanitarian situation reveals that over 8.3 million about one- third of the total population in South Sudan are estimated to need humanitarian assistance in 2021 according to the findings reflected in the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO,2021).

The ACT  South Sudan forum is planning an a response to provide sufficient food, adequate nutrition, safe shelter & NFIs, livelihood activities, safe drinking water, sanitation & hygiene infrastructure, GBV/ protection and education services to  the crisis affected people.

Alert-South Sudan Complex Humanitarian Crisis

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit the districts of Majene, Mamuju and Polewali Mandarin in West Sulawesi, Indonesia on 15th January, 2021. This was preceded by a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in the same region. Recent reports from UN OCHA and BNPB said that it caused damages to 300 houses, 1 bridge, 2 hospitals, 1 port, 1 hotel, 2 government offices, landslide on 3 spots, 242 casualties, 189 people with serious injuries, 637 people with minor injuries, and around 15,000 people are in evacuation centers where they will . The number of casualties is predicted to increase as reports from local authorities will come in. The earthquake has also affected and disrupted the community’ activities such as health facilities (including hospitals), offices, marketplaces, shops, and religious facilities. The disaster has also resulted in the cut-off of electricity, communication, water, transportation access (by air and land), and lack of food security. Indonesian government has started to deploy rescue and assistance to the affected areas.

ACT Indonesia Forum plans to give assistance to 5,000 people affected by the earthquake through ACT Alliance’s Rapid Response Fund.  They plan to aid and support the disruption of health services, household items, protection for vulnerable groups, shelter materials, WASH services and materials, and assistance to support the disruption of livelihoods.

ALERT Indonesia West Sulawesi Earthquake