Mogadishu, Somalia – The East African nation of Somalia is grappling with a sharp rise in diphtheria cases and deaths in 2025, with health officials warning that the outbreak is being exacerbated by vaccine shortages and reduced international assistance.
According to the Ministry of Health, more than 1,600 suspected cases of diphtheria have been reported so far this year, including 87 deaths. This represents nearly double the 838 cases and 56 deaths recorded in all of 2024, underscoring the rapid spread of the preventable disease.
Health experts in Mogadishu say the escalation is partly driven by gaps in immunization coverage, as vaccine stocks have run critically low in recent months. The situation has been worsened by cuts in U.S. aid funding, which previously supported large-scale vaccination campaigns and primary healthcare programs across the country.
“Without sufficient vaccines, we are losing ground in controlling an outbreak that should be preventable,” a senior official at the health ministry told reporters on Wednesday, urging international partners to step in before the crisis deepens.
The outbreak is most severe in conflict-affected and drought-stricken regions, where health systems are already under pressure. Humanitarian workers say displaced families living in crowded camps face the highest risk, with limited access to clean water and healthcare.
Diphtheria, a bacterial infection that spreads easily through respiratory droplets, can be fatal without prompt treatment. The illness causes severe swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, and, in advanced cases, life-threatening complications affecting the heart and nervous system.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have raised alarms about the crisis, noting that Somalia’s fragile health system is overstretched as it simultaneously responds to measles outbreaks, malnutrition, and cholera cases linked to recurrent flooding.
Health authorities are calling for urgent vaccine donations and the resumption of stalled immunization drives, warning that without decisive action, the death toll could climb significantly in the coming months.
“This is a preventable tragedy. Every delay in support means more lives lost to a disease we know how to stop,” the health officer said.
