Abdinur Elmi, the Emergency Director of CARE Somalia/Somaliland, has said the country’s efforts towards curbing the spread of COVID-19 might not bear fruit because of stigma.
He said the stigma surrounding COVID-19 has made it nearly impossible for patients to report to the hospital for medication and close supervision.
According to the Director, CARE Somalia/Somaliland centers have witnessed a drop of around 26 percent in the number of people consulting on communicable diseases.
Furthermore, Elmi said his team has encountered cases of people running away from their homes upon being diagnosed with COVID-19.
When asked, most of them say they flee from their homes because of “fear of being stigmatized.”
Consequently, he has urged the government and other stakeholders to address the stigma around the pandemic.
Failure to do that, Elmi fears that “whole communities around the country could get infected.” He attributes the stigma to religious and cultural beliefs.