Donors
Swedish
government contribute towards child and maternal health in Somalia
Remarkable results
have been achieved with the Child Health Days (CHDs) component of the
Joint Programme of Accelerated Young Child Survival (AYCS) implemented
dung 2008-2009. SIDA has provided financial support to WHO and UNICEF
for the planning and implementation of the intervention since the start
in 2008. The recent SIDA financial support, which was received in late
December 2009 will be used to implement the second round of CHDs in
southern Somalia (Bay, Bakool, Gedo, Middle Jubba and Lower Jubba
regions) from February to March 2010. This will target more than 400,000
children below 5 years with measles vaccination, diphtheria toxoid,/tetanus
toxoid/ pertussis (DTP) vaccine, polio (OPV), vitamin A supplementation,
sachets of oral rehydration salts (ORS) and water purification tablets
and other life-saving interventions and over 500,000 women of
child-bearing age with tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine.
CHDs are a means to improve routine vaccination coverage in Somalia
which is one of the lowest in the world. The success of CHDs will be in
support of the achievement of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 which
is “reduce child mortality”.
Australia
responds to the urgent needs to build and strengthen of the health
workforce in Somalia
Through a
recently-approved grant from the Australian High Commission in Nairobi.
WHO Somalia will be procuring essential clinical teaching aids for the
Hargeisa Institute for Health Services in Somaliland to improve the
quality and effectiveness of the teaching programmes. The Institute is
the major producer of nurses and midwives for Somaliland.
The support from the Australian Government provides a boost to WHO’s
commitment to ensure the development of human resources for health in
Somalia. Over the years of chronic conflict, health services been faced
by a number of challenges including the scarcity of health workers in
the country and the poor level of training and skills owing to weak
capacity within human resource development and training institutions.
Key donors for Emergency
Preparedness and Humanitarian Action
CERF (Central Emergency Response Fund)
High
levels of displacement in 2009 have brought about new and pressing
health needs in South Central Somalia. Through support received from
the CERF in August, WHO and partners are extending essential health
services to the internally displaced communities living in the
Afgooye Corridor, outside Mogadishu. With the support of its
implementing partner Muslim Aid, WHO has been able to establish an
additional 3 clinics, as well as supporting a further 5 clinics with
essential drugs and supplies. These services will be extended to the
estimated 520 000 people displaced in the Afgooye Corridor.
Outbreaks of acute watery diarrhoea are more common where sanitation
is poor and there is a lack adequate drinking water – conditions
associated with living in makeshift settlements with high population
density. Support received from CERF is also allowing WHO and
partners to respond to outbreaks of disease through better reporting
and preparedness to respond.
Humanitarian
Response Fund
WHO is being supported
by the Humanitarian Response Fund (HRF) to extend health
services and outbreak response activities to IDP and
conflict-affected communities in South Central Somalia. The
funds will support WHO to immediately carry out a range of
activities in response to the current humanitarian emergency
affecting the country. These activities include providing
essential medicines and supplies for health services, conducting
outbreak response investigations and working to strengthen the
referral of pregnant woman with obstetric complications to
emergency services. Efforts within reproductive health will
complement planned activities with UNFPA to improve access to
skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric care (EmOC).
Extending these services is crucial within the context of a very
high maternal mortality (1,400 per 100 000): maternal health is
one of the major public health problems currently affecting the
Somali people within the ongoing humanitarian situation.
Please follow this link for
latest information on the humanitarian situation in Somalia.
WHO's Emergency
Preparedness and Humanitarian Action programme
The Health Cluster in Somalia