MOGADISHU–  The combined number of cases of five infectious diseases have doubled in Somalia since mid-April as aid cuts force hundreds of health clinics to close, with children under five the worst impacted, Save the Children said.

Since April, cases of measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, cholera and severe respiratory infections have doubled from about 22,600 to over 46,000, with children under five representing around 60% of cases.

At least 357 new suspected cases of measles, diphtheria or cholera – all of which can be prevented by vaccines – were reported among under-fives in the past week alone, according to the Ministry of Health.

So far this year, Somalia has reported 6,267 suspected cases of cholera, with 60% (3,739) among under-fives. At least eight people are known to have died from the illness, including five children under five.

The measles outbreak has also hit children under five hardest, with the youngest children accounting for an estimated 75% of 5,436 reported cases.

In Somalia, the sharp rise in vaccine-preventable diseases is linked to the recent aid cuts, which have impacted the health system’s capacity to deliver essential services, including routine immunization, and to treat and run catch-up campaigns to increase the immunity necessary to halt the outbreak.

Save the Children said these outbreaks are compounding existing humanitarian challenges, such as malnutrition, overcrowding in camps for displaced people, and limited access to healthcare. Overstretched health facilities, misinformation, and stigma regarding some healthcare are further exacerbating the crisis. 
In May, Save the Children reported that at least 55,000 children supported by the aid agency in Somalia will lose access to lifesaving nutrition services, as aid cuts have forced about 47, or one-third, of Save the Children-supported nutrition services to close.  

Besides nutrition, these clinics provided other health services, and their closure means families and children are going without critical health services, including immunization. The aid agency is warning that the reduced capacity of the health system to respond to outbreaks is likely to lead to frequent and deadly outbreaks on a scale not previously seen in Somalia.

Save the Children’s Country Director for Somalia, Mohamud Mohamed Hassan, said: 

“The neglect of the health system in Somalia due to aid cuts is directly impacting children. Already, children have died of diseases we have treated and kept at bay in the past. Unless the aid cuts are reversed and more resources are put in place to support the health system, we are worried the situation will rapidly deteriorate, placing immense strain on vulnerable communities, particularly children under five.

“Somalia remains one of the countries with the highest number of zero-dose children in sub-Saharan Africa. The funding cuts have not only disrupted immunization programs but have also weakened the ability of health partners to respond effectively to ongoing and emerging outbreaks.

“Equally alarming is the spread of a SARI (severe acute respiratory infections) and influenza-like illness. Due to limited laboratory capacity, the country is currently unable to identify the specific viral agent responsible for this respiratory outbreak, which further complicates the response.

“We are urgently calling for sustained investment in Somalia’s health system, particularly in surveillance, immunization, outbreak response and increasing access to primary health care services to put an end to the disease outbreaks and keep children alive.”

With the impact of aid cuts already being felt by families and children across Somalia, the situation is projected to get worse with countries in Africa forecast to be impacted the most by global aid cuts as the OECD projects a drop of between 9-17% in official development assistance (ODA) in 2025 – the third consecutive year of decline.

This will impact approximately 300 million people who rely on ODA as a source of emergency relief and as a promise of a better future through education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

Save the Children is actively engaged in national disease surveillance, prevention, and response efforts. We are supporting health facilities in hotspot regions, such as Banadir, Bay, and Mudug, through case identification, referral, and treatment.

A disease outbreak is the occurrence of cases of disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographical area or season, according to the WHO.

Save the Children has been working in Somalia and Somaliland since 1951, with programs throughout the country that support children’s healthcare, education, and food needs. Last year, we reached 3.2 million people, including 1.9 million children.

Source: Save the Children