MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Ministry of Health and Human Services confirmed on Sunday that diphtheria outbreak has resulted in 50 child fatalities and approximately 1,000 infections around Somalia.
According to the ministry’s statement, the age group most severely impacted by the outbreak is children between 5 and 15 years old. In response to what they termed a “dangerous situation,” health authorities have initiated vaccination campaigns aimed at controlling the spread.
These vaccination efforts are scheduled to commence on December 15 and continue for a five-day period.
The ministry emphasized that the vaccination drive will reach all children regardless of their location, including those in villages, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions.
Parents were encouraged to bring their children to designated vaccination sites as part of efforts to contain the described “killer disease.”
This health emergency unfolds against a backdrop of worsening humanitarian conditions in Somalia, which have been exacerbated by ongoing conflicts and environmental challenges such as flooding and drought.
