Reports indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has been preventing Somali children from receiving routine vaccinations.
A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that parents in Somalia are afraid to take their children for normal vaccinations because of COVID-19 fears.
Their fears are justified since health facilities in low-income jurisdictions are unable to observe COVID-19 measures such as social distancing and the washing of hands with soap and water.
Further, the ban issued by the Ministry of Health and the Federal Government of Somalia on public gathering has increased the fear of visiting health facilities.
Moreover, the global health organization has discovered that caregivers and healthcare workers in many facilities are no longer reporting to work because of COVID-19.
WHO recently issued a joint statement together with UNICEF in Somalia indicating that over 108,000 children under the age of 1 year have not received the first round of measles vaccines.
Additionally, 96,000 Somali children have also been unable to receive the third round of pentavalent vaccines.
The situation is likely to get worse as the world struggles to find a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which would then allow normalcy to resume.