Mogadishu, Somalia – Somalia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Ali Hajiadam, has welcomed UNICEF’s newly appointed Representative, Ms. Sandra Lattouf, while officially receiving critical cold chain equipment provided with support from GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. The handover marks a significant step toward strengthening the country’s immunization system and expanding vaccine access across all regions.
Speaking at the event in Mogadishu, Dr. Hajiadam praised UNICEF’s continued partnership with the Federal Government, stressing that the delivery of modern cold chain equipment would play a pivotal role in safeguarding vaccines from spoilage and ensuring children receive life-saving immunizations.
“This support comes at a time when Somalia is redoubling its efforts to improve child survival and strengthen public health systems. With GAVI and UNICEF by our side, we are building resilience against preventable diseases,” the minister said.
The new UNICEF Representative, Sandra Lattouf, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to Somalia, describing immunization as a cornerstone of child health and community well-being. She emphasized that the introduction of reliable cold chain infrastructure would help maintain vaccine potency during storage and transportation, particularly in hard-to-reach areas affected by insecurity and poor infrastructure.
The GAVI-supported equipment includes solar-powered refrigerators and temperature monitoring devices designed to withstand Somalia’s challenging conditions. Officials noted that the expanded cold chain will improve vaccine distribution nationwide, enabling health workers to reach more children with essential vaccines such as those against measles, polio, and diphtheria.
Somalia continues to face high child mortality rates due to preventable diseases, compounded by conflict, drought, and weak health systems. The Ministry of Health, together with its partners, has set immunization scale-up as a national priority in line with the government’s broader health sector strategy.
The collaboration with UNICEF and GAVI represents a broader push to strengthen Somalia’s healthcare delivery, ensure equity in vaccine coverage, and protect millions of children from deadly but preventable illnesses.
