Mogadishu, Somalia – The European Union (EU) has announced €220,000 in emergency assistance to help contain a diphtheria outbreak in Somalia, with a special focus on the northeastern Puntland region.
The funding will be channeled through the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) to strengthen frontline health services, improve disease surveillance, and enhance community engagement.
According to the EU Delegation in Somalia, the six-month intervention aims to reach more than 508,000 people, particularly children and vulnerable groups who are most at risk of infection.
The support comes at a time when Somalia’s fragile health system is grappling with multiple challenges, including limited medical infrastructure, insecurity, and the ongoing threat of communicable diseases.
Diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection, poses serious risks in low-immunity settings and can cause severe respiratory complications or death if untreated. Health experts have warned that the outbreak could escalate without swift preventive and treatment measures.
Through this emergency package, SRCS will expand access to essential medical care, distribute critical supplies, and mobilize community awareness campaigns to contain the spread. Surveillance networks will also be reinforced to ensure faster detection and response to new cases.
EU officials emphasized that the initiative is part of the bloc’s continued commitment to humanitarian support in Somalia, where recurrent disease outbreaks and climate-related crises have placed additional strain on already vulnerable communities.
With the new funding, Puntland authorities and humanitarian partners hope to reduce the outbreak’s impact and prevent further transmission, while laying the groundwork for longer-term improvements in public health resilience.