High number of wounded children in Somalia

31 May 2011 ¦ Nairobi "“ The World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned about the steep rise in the numbers of children under five years old who have been wounded in Somalia's latest outbreak of violence. The number of patients treated for weapon-related injuries at Mogadishu's three main hospitals reached a new peak in May 2011. Almost half the 1590 injuries reported were in children under five, compared to only 3.5% in April. "Many of these children are suffering from very severe wounds, burns and other injuries from bullets, blast injuries and shrapnel" says Marthe Everard, WHO's representative for Somalia.