The COVID-19 pandemic is a huge threat to the gains that Somalia has made in the fight against other deadly diseases such as polio.
A report by the World Health Organization has discovered that parents and their children are missing vital vaccines and medication because of COVID-19 fears.
For example, the global health organization reported that healthcare specialists in many dispensaries are not showing up at work for fear of contracting COVID-19.
Consequently, this is creating a huge problem that could see a reversal of some of the gains that Somalia has made against polio.
Dr. Mohamed Ali Kamil, who has been managing the WHO team responsible for polio and COVID-19, says the situation is getting dire.
Dr. Kamil has commended most healthcare workers for turning up at work to ensure that the fragile health system does not collapse.
However, he urges for more action by the Federal Government of Somalia, the Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders to uphold the gains made in the fight against polio.