In the absence of testing facilities for COVID-19, the WHO staff are involved in safe packaging and transportation of samples collected across the country to the testing laboratory at KEMRI. So far, over 50 samples from the suspected cases have been collected and tested at the refence laboratory for COVID-19 The WHO country office is supporting the Ministry of Health and Human Services of the Federal Government of Somalia, as well as all state health authorities to scale up operational readiness for early detection and response to large scale community transmission from coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

As of 6 April, the government has officially reported 7 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, 2 of these cases were reported from Somaliland. While 6 of these reported cases have travel history before they became sick or were quarantined, the investigation on the remaining case suggests that the case might have been locally acquired as the case has no travel history. This clearly shows that the country is now entering into a different transmission phase where further human-to-human transmission from COVID-19 can be expected. Given the fragility of the health systems, security situation in the country, weak surveillance system and insufficient number of skilled health workforce in the country, there are heightened risk that cases may go undetected or undiagnosed if community transmission begins as a result of wide spread of the virus.

Since the beginning of COVID-19 outbreak in January 2020, WHO has geared up its preparedness and operational readiness measures in the country helping the government to pre-position personal protective equipment for the first responders and health care workers to treat an initial 500 cases, train over 800 health care workers on early recognition, detection and investigation of cases, expand its early warning disease surveillance system to pick up the suspected cases rapidly, support the establishment of screening facilities at 21 designated points of entry across the country to cover over 75 000 returnee travellers and above all facilitating testing of the COVID-19 cases using the BSL-2 laboratory facilities at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in Nairobi.

As the cases gradually build up and the country moves to a different epidemiological transmission patterns where human-to-human transmission is more likely, the priority for now is to avert large-scale community transmission through scaling up testing of all suspected COVID-19 cases, irrespective of travel history, aggressive contact tracing and efficient management of all close contacts using appropriate measures such as isolation and quarantine of all suspected cases and close contacts and scaling up risk communication activities to target the high-risk population.

In the coming days, WHO’s support will also include setting up 3 testing facilities in the country, additional isolation facilities to cover over 1000 suspected cases and mobilizing over 1200 trained health workforce for contact tracing and contact management. WHO’s work continues in Somalia to keep the country safe and protect the vulnerable despite the weakened health systems ravaged by years of war and neglect.

8 December 2019 – The first phase of a nationwide integrated polio and measles vaccination campaign has concluded in Somalia having achieved high coverage. WHO in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and UNICEF launched the first phase of the campaign from 24 to 28 November 2019, targeting more than 1.7 million children under the age of five for polio vaccination and more than 1.5 million children aged six to 59 months for measles vaccination and vitamin A supplementation. This is the first time that an integrated campaign such as this has happened in Somalia. Vaccinators went from door to door to reach every child with life-saving vaccines, leaving no one behind.

The campaign was particularly focused on children in districts with high concentrations of internally displaced persons and nomadic communities due to the need to improve routine immunization coverage among these populations and reach those missed during routine immunization programmes. These population groups often have higher mobility and are therefore at increased risk for transmission of these diseases.

More than 17 000 skilled community vaccinators, frontline health workers and social mobilizers took part in the campaign. At the end of it, a total of 751,811 children had received polio vaccine (84% of the target), 671,381 had received the measles vaccine (82% of the target), 481,332 (66% of the target) had received deworming tablets and 666,182 children (82% of the target) had received vitamin A capsules. A total of 20,000 children also received their first dose (zero dose) of vaccine. The remaining unvaccinated children of the 1.7 million targeted for polio vaccination and the more than 1.5 million targeted for the measles vaccine will be reached during the second phase of the campaign in December.

During the campaign, staff from the Federal Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF and nongovernmental partners were deployed in different districts to monitor the campaign. All had been trained prior to the campaign on supportive supervision, conducting parent surveys and making rapid convenience assessments.

As part of campaign monitoring, 1656 households were visited and 5042 children (under the age of 5) were assessed for both polio and measles vaccination through a three-way verification process: recall, fingermark and presence of vaccination card. Social mobilization prior to the campaign demonstrated high success, with 980 mothers surveyed at vaccination sites during the campaign reporting bringing 95% of their children to the sites and 92% were aware of the campaign before it started. Only 79 fever and rash cases amongst the vaccinated children were reported by the mothers during the survey. No other adverse event following immunization were reported during the campaign.

Every year over 170,000 Somali children miss out on life-saving vaccines. This means that one in every 10 children do not receive life-saving vaccines. Unacceptably, it is often those most at risk – the poorest, the most marginalized, and those affected by conflict or forced from their homes – who are persistently missed.

Integrated vaccination campaigns are important for increasing immunity among children and avoiding the devastating consequences of these entirely preventable diseases on individuals, families, the local economy and health security in the Region.

The nationwide integrated campaign for measles and polio vaccination was funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. WHO thanks Gavi and other partners for supporting the routine immunization programme in Somalia.

MOGADISHU, 24 November 2019 - Health authorities launched today a campaign to vaccinate 1.7 million children against measles and polio in Benaadir, Galguduud, Hirshabelle, Jubaland and South West State, Somalia.

The 5-day campaign, running from 24 to 28 November, will target children under the age of 5 with polio vaccines and children aged 6 to 59 months with measles vaccines. The vaccination campaign, conducted in partnership with the Somali government, World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), also includes a vitamin A supplement for children under 5 to boost their immunity as well as de-worming tablets.

The measles virus is spread by respiratory transmission and is highly contagious. Up to 90% of people without immunity who are sharing a house with an infected person will catch it.  As of 9 November, 3616 suspected measles cases have been reported in Somalia in 2019.

Somalia also continues to respond to a vaccine-derived polio outbreak. Three vaccine-derived polio cases have been confirmed in the country in 2019 and 15 children have been paralysed since the onset of the latest outbreak in 2017.

“One among 7 Somali children dies before their fifth birthday and many of these deaths are preventable by use of vaccines. Although we have made progress over the years to improve routine immunization coverage in the country, there is an urgent need to further scale up the vaccination coverage, especially for measles and polio, by working together with partners, communities and grass-root level organizations. The integrated campaign for measles and polio is expected to improve routine immunization coverage and reach out to those who are missed out during routine immunization programme,” said WHO Representative Dr Mamunur Malik.

The campaign targets particularly children in districts with high concentrations of internally displaced persons and nomadic communities. These population groups often have higher mobility, and so are at increased risk for transmission of these diseases.

“Crowded living conditions, malnutrition and limited access to water and sanitation in the camps and other sites breed disease and put children at grave risk,” said UNICEF Somalia Representative Werner Schultink. “To protect these children, it is critical to reach them with life-saving vaccines.” 

The campaign aims to stem the transmission of measles infection and reduce the likelihood of future measles outbreaks in Somalia. Adding polio vaccine to the campaign will also help to bolster protection against polio virus type 1 and 3 among all Somali children.

More than 17 000 skilled community vaccinators, frontline health workers and social mobilizers are implementing the campaign. 

Integrated campaigns are important to raise immunity among children and avoid the devastating implications of these entirely preventable diseases on individuals, families, the local economy and health security in the region.

About WHO

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations whose vision is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. 

Follow WHO Somalia on Twitter.

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. Follow UNICEF Somalia on Twitter and Facebook.

About GPEI

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is a public-private partnership led by national governments and spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, working towards a future where no child will ever again be paralysed by polio. 

For more information, please contact: 

Leila Abrar, UNICEF Somalia, Polio Communications for Development Specialist, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , +252 636 833 923 

Eva Hinds, UNICEF Somalia, Communication Manager, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , +252 613 642 635

Fouzia Bano, WHO Somalia, Communication Officer, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , +252 619 235 880

Dr Kamil Mohamed, WHO Somalia Polio Team Lead Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Cell: +252 613 041 057 

Dr Farid, WHO Medical Officer, Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Cell: +252619742132

18 November 2019 – Recent flooding has plunged Somalia further into a deep humanitarian crisis. Heavy rains in Somalia and Ethiopian highlands led to increased water levels in the rivers Shbelle and Juba, which has affected an estimated 539 888 people and lead to the displacement of over 370 000 people, leaving 25 dead and 47 injured.

According to the monitoring of the Somalia Water and Land Information Management, heavier and continuing rains are expected, which may lead to greater displacement. As a result of the flooding, health facilities have been damaged and essential health services, such as immunization services and vector control activities, have been suspended. Owing to damage to roads, movement of relief items, including medical supplies, has been difficult.

Along with extensive damage to property and livelihoods, standing flood water is a cause of concern for public health in the affected areas. While WHO is closely monitoring the health situation in affected areas, there remains an increased risk of water- and vector-borne diseases owing to lack of access of the displaced population to safe water and sanitation, including due to disruption of essential health services.

WHO has scaled up its emergency health response operations in the affected districts to prevent epidemics and disease-related mortality. The main focus of response efforts has been to:

• improve access of the flood-affected vulnerable populations to emergency life-saving health interventions;
• support the deployment of rapid response teams;
• enhance the EWARN surveillance system to monitor health threats; and
• replenish essential medical supplies for the provision of health care.

So far, no deaths from communicable diseases have been reported from the flood-affected areas as a result of WHO and other health partner’s intensified response operations.  

WHO will continue its health response operations in the flood-affected districts over the next 3 months in order to prevent avoidable deaths, protect the health of those most vulnerable from disease and prevent any epidemic in the aftermath of the flooding.

The areas affected by the current flood are prone to epidemics, such as cholera, malaria and other vector-borne diseases. Additionally, at least 10 health facilities have been completely destroyed in the flood, depleting health services in the affected districts.

WHO is requesting for additional support of US$ 1.38 million to further scale up and sustain its current surge operations in the flood-affected districts.

“We are planning to reach out to over 450 000 of the most affected population with essential and life-saving health interventions for next 3 months. As soon as the flood water starts to recede, the next phase of our emergency response operation will help restore and rehabilitate damaged and non-functional health services. Our priorities would continue to be to prevent avoidable mortality and morbidity due to flood-driven environmental health hazards and displacement,” said Dr Sk Md Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative for Somalia.  

The overall objective of WHO’s emergency health response surge plan is to ensure that the targeted beneficiaries, including men, women, boys, girls, and persons with disabilities who are the most vulnerable affected by the current flooding have access to lifesaving health interventions in line with Somalia’s universal health coverage road map and epidemics from flood-associated diseases are detected and prevented early.

For further information, please contact:

Kyle Defreitas
External Relations & Resource Mobilization Officer
T:  +254-20-51-21519
M: +254-782-501-324
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Fouzia Bano
Communication Officer
M: +252-619235880
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it