WHO supported the federal and state governments to resume routine childhood vaccinations during the COVID-19 outbreak in Somalia. Credit: WHO/Somalia

23 April 2022, Mogadishu – While marking World Immunization Week this year, Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) jointly urged humanitarian partners, local private agencies and donors to help boost immunization efforts and outreach across Somalia. This message is in line with the theme for World Immunization Week, 2022, running from 24 to 30 April, which is ‘Long life for all – in pursuit of a long life well lived.’

World Immunization Week 2022 aims to spur greater engagement around immunization globally, to reiterate the importance of vaccination and improve the health and well-being of everyone, everywhere.

In line with this global call and taking into account only 9% of Somalis have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Dr Fawziya Abikar Nur, Minister of Health, the Federal Government of Somalia said, “In 2020, the world witnessed a pause on many health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By producing vaccines at record speed, alongside other measures, we have now seen how life is resuming slowly again. However, in developing countries, such as Somalia, the majority of the population still remains to be vaccinated. They are still at risk, and we cannot emphasize enough – we must reach everyone, wherever they live, to stop diseases such as COVID-19 from mutating and circulating.”

“Vaccines are one of the greatest success stories of public health. And yet, with all the knowledge and tools we have, Somali children are still contracting vaccine-preventable diseases, and adults are still being infected with diseases such as COVID-19.  It is our moral imperative to ensure every Somali has equitable access to vaccinations and a life free of disease and disabilities. We must all join forces to reach more people with life-saving vaccines,” said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Somalia Representative and Head of Mission, while describing how the advent of smallpox vaccines showed the world that it is possible to eradicate diseases if governments and all stakeholders join forces.

A child from an internally displaced camp receiving measles vaccines during a measles outbreak investigation, Garowe, Puntland. Credit: WHO/Somalia

“It’s vital that parents and caregivers take control of their children’s health by making sure every child gets their routine vaccinations,” said UNICEF Representative a.i., Angela Kearney. “Vaccines ensure protection against preventable diseases and a healthier life. Vaccines are free and it’s the right thing to do.”

Somalia has an estimated 639 000 children aged under one year, but many are not able to access their regular childhood vaccinations. In 2021, 510 951 children received the third dose of penta vaccines to protect them from pertussis, diphtheria, hepatitis B, tetanus and Haemophilus influenzae type b, while around 80% of all measles cases confirmed in 2021 were children aged under 5.

Some of the challenges Somalia faces in ensuring all communities have access to vaccinations include a fragile health system, further impeded by conflict and natural disasters, including the ongoing drought, limited access to cold chain facilities in remote areas and among hard-to-reach populations, and difficulty in reaching people living in insecure and inaccessible locations.

A medical expert visits a household in Jubaland to assess a measles outbreak and offer vaccines to children. Credit: WHO/Somalia

Over the years, WHO, UNICEF, and partners and donors have extended support to Somalia in developing mechanisms to store various vaccines and establish community vaccination programmes that resulted in vaccinating communities. Despite all the challenges, Somalia has indeed had some success in getting more children and adults, particularly vulnerable ones, vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, cholera, polio, diphtheria, tuberculosis, pertussis, tetanus, Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and COVID-19 disease, using strategies such as mobile outreach sessions in addition to fixed vaccination sites. Additionally, teams of health care workers and social mobilizers, supported by the Government, WHO and UNICEF, are regularly visiting communities to share messages on the benefits of vaccination with them.

However, the country needs more support to protect children and adults, particularly vulnerable ones, from vaccine-preventable diseases.

For additional information, please contact:

Khadar Hussein Mohamud, Head of Coordination and Communications, Ministry of Health, Federal Government of Somalia,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Mukhtar Abdi Shube, Head of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) section, Ministry of Health, Federal Government of Somalia, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Fouzia Bano, Communications Officer, WHO Somalia, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Victor Chinyama, Chief of Communications, UNICEF Somalia, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

27 March 2022 - World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, commemorated on 24 March every year, aims to increase awareness about the grave health, social and economic consequences of TB, and scale up efforts to prevent further spread of the disease. The theme for this year is to ‘Invest to End TB. Save Lives’.

TB is a major cause of death and disease burden in Somalia. The 2021 Global TB Report indicated there was a marginal increase in the estimated TB incidence in Somalia, from 258 per 100 000 people in 2018 to 259 per 100 000 in 2020. However, the death rate in Somalia remained at 68 per 100 000.

Effects of COVID-19 on the TB programme

Reporting cases and addressing them in a timely manner is crucial in stopping the spread of TB. However, the minimal increase in the number of cases reported in Somalia in 2020 and the plunge in global TB notification, which went from 7.1 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020, can be attributed largely to the COVID-19 pandemic. The global death rate also increased in the same period, as people worldwide refrained from visiting health facilities due to a fear of being infected with COVID-19.

In 2020, an estimated 1.3 million HIV negative people died of TB, up from 1.2 million in 2019, while an additional 214 000 HIV positive people died. Of the cases reported in 2021, 17 204 were drug-sensitive cases, while 299 were drug-resistant cases.

“Somalia’s TB programme is now gradually recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic though, with 17 503 TB cases notified in 2021, as compared to 17 200 reported in 2020,” said Dr Abdiaziz Mohamud Shire, National TB Programme Manager, Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services. “Even though we are making progress, we still need more support in the form of GeneXpert machines and outreach activities. Both are important for case detection.”

Limited awareness and incorrect diagnosis

Despite its prevalence, health personnel are still missing the mark in terms of timely diagnoses, and people like Adow Adan Abdi are still unaware of the symptoms of TB. Around a year-and-a-half ago, Adow began to cough a lot but thought he probably had a simple cold. At a clinic in Tiyeglow, the doctors gave him antibiotics and syrup for the cough, but only after two weeks of visits. On seeing no improvement, they referred Adow to a private clinic in Baidoa, Bay region, to run blood tests, where they confirmed he had TB and prescribed medication as treatment. Adow had to buy it himself though.

For the first four months, the symptoms decreased, but during the fifth month, Adow returned to Tiyeglow as his cough was back. He lost his appetite and lost more weight. His situation deteriorated and he even began to cough blood and pus. When Adow became severely ill, his family took him to the Manhal TB centre in Waberi, Mogadishu, for support. They took a sample of sputum and tested it, and then referred him to the Forlanini Multi-drug-resistant-Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) Centre for treatment, where he finally received the right attention.

Adow, who is still in the Forlanini Hospital for now, is relieved that his medication, along with counselling, are helping him. He has even made good friends with the hospital staff, whom he says are very helpful, and with other patients recovering from TB. They have their meals together and discuss their experiences, which has helped him feel much better.

After three months of treatment, Adow is starting to gain weight. Even though he feels ready to leave, the hospital staff have requested him to stay on until his joint inflammation reduces.

Adow says he feels more people need to know that TB is curable and can be prevented. He is grateful that agencies such as WHO are supporting health facilities with modern testing equipment for TB, and requests decision-makers to consider supporting TB patients with nutrition.

New technology being used for TB testing

WHO has supported the Federal and State Ministries of Health in Somalia to use rapid molecular diagnosis as the primary tool for TB diagnosis. In 2021, half of all presumptive TB cases in Somalia had access to GeneXpert testing, while 61% of all sputum smear-positive cases were diagnosed using GeneXpert tests.

In 2021, Somalia had 99 Tuberculosis Management Units (TBMUs) and 50 GeneXpert machines distributed across the country. Twenty-two GeneXpert machines were used in the diagnosis for both TB and COVID-19. The three MDR-TB centres in Mogadishu, Hargeisa and Galkayo treating multi-drug resistant TB operated normally with no major challenges reported. The culture laboratories in Hargeisa and Mogadishu continued to perform Line Probe Assays 1 and 2 (LPA 1 & 2), to detect mycobacterium tuberculosis and drug resistance, under the supervision of the Uganda Supranational Reference Laboratory.

In 2021, 89% of the TB cases in Somalia were tested for HIV co-infection. Of these, only 0.9% were found to be co-infected. The Ministry of Health, WHO HIV Team, and UNICEF provided around 64% of the TB cases with co-infections access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) to help treat HIV.

Collaboration from partners

“Our investments so far have reaped double benefits by saving lives by testing for both TB and COVID-19,” said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative to Somalia and Head of Mission. “By further scaling up our investments in TB prevention, we can ensure all Somalis, everywhere, know more about how TB is spread, and have equitable access to prevention and care. This will help us to reach Universal Health Coverage.”

The Global Fund supports the TB elimination programme in Somalia financially through World Vision International, which is the principal recipient of funding. International and local nongovernment organizations run the TB centres as sub-recipients of the Global Fund TB grant, while the independent monitoring body monitors the entire programme. The TB Coordination Team that brings together the national TB programme (NTP), WHO, World Vision International and major implementing partners continues to be the decision-making body of the programme. It reviews TB elimination activities twice in a year to address any challenges that the programme faces.

As the technical organization supporting the national TB programme, WHO supports capacity development, drug management, development of treatment guidelines and reporting materials, and data management, and guides the World Vision in the implementation of strategies.

NAIROBI, 22 March 2022 – Yesterday, the Federal Government of Somalia, World Health Organization (WHO) and members of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) recommitted to stopping the ongoing outbreak of circulating poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in Somalia at a three-day meeting convened in Nairobi, Kenya. High-level delegates at the meeting included HE Fawziya Abikar Nur, Federal Minister of Health and Human Services, Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik,

WHO Representative to Somalia and Head of Mission, alongside senior representation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rotary International, Save the Children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and other UN agencies and partners.

Together, the Government, GPEI partners, which include WHO, UNICEF, the BMGF, CDC, Rotary International, GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and other key partners endorsed the Somalia Polio Eradication Action Plan 2022 to reaffirm their commitment.

The Somalia Polio Eradication Action Plan 2022 outlines a four-point call to action to stop the spread of the current outbreak, which is one of the longest lasting cVDPV2 outbreaks to be reported so far. The robust plan aims to direct partners’ efforts and resources towards boosting population immunity, making concerted efforts to reach high-risk populations — including inaccessible and nomadic communities and internally displaced persons — to strengthen their immunity, enhancing the search for poliovirus circulation, and strengthening coordination among all stakeholders. Some of the strategies that will be deployed include intensifying efforts to offer 5 opportunities for vaccination against polio in 2022, providing routine childhood immunization in high-risk locations, where children have missed out on vaccinations, and strengthening community engagement. Given how easy it is for the cVDPV2 virus to spill over international borders, the emergency plan also advocates for stronger cross-border coordination among the polio eradication programmes in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.

“In the midst of the ongoing drought, and while recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, our stakeholders must not forget how important it is to contain the ongoing poliovirus outbreak so that it does not spread any further and does not affect any more children’s lives,” said HE Fawziya Abikar Nur, Federal Minister of Health and Human Services. “On this occasion, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all our partners, and donors, for the immense efforts they have put into shielding millions of Somali children from polio over the years.”

“Since its inception 25 years ago, Somalia’s polio eradication programme has made progress, including by stopping outbreaks of wild poliovirus and, recently, one of circulating poliovirus type 3 in 2021. The programme has established a vast network of polio workforce and assets and we can do more not only to stop the current outbreak but to achieve broader health system goals through integration and effective use of our human and operational resources. Since 2018, Somalia has conducted several supplementary immunization campaigns. Despite these efforts, pockets of unvaccinated children remain, due to insecurity and limited access to health services,” said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative to Somalia.

The Somalia Polio Eradication Action Plan, which will be implemented in 2022, complements one of the goals outlined in the GPEI ‘Polio Eradication Strategy 2022–2026: Delivering on a Promise’, to stop cVDPV transmission and prevent outbreaks in non-endemic countries. It is also in line with Somalia’s national goals and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For additional information, please contact:

Khadar Hussein Mohamud
Head of Coordination and Communications, Ministry of Health
Federal Government of Somalia
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Fouzia Bano
Communications Officer
WHO Somalia
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

MOGADISHU, 18 March 2022 – On 17 March 2022, Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative and Head of Mission to Somalia, handed over a duplex pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plant to H.E. Fawziya Abikar Nur, the Minister of Health of Somalia, alongside H.E. Tiina Intelmann, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Somalia and Mr Adam Abdelmoula, Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (DSRSG/UNRC/HC) for Somalia. This milestone event took place at the De Martino Hospital in Mogadishu where the oxygen plant is currently installed. The De Martino Hospital is a specialized hospital serving the capital city and Banadir, the most populated region in Somalia.

WHO handed over the PSA plant to the Federal Government of Somalia at a small ceremony. The plant was procured with generous funds received from the EU Delegation to Somalia through its ongoing support for the emergency response to COVID-19 in the country. The PSA oxygen plant inaugurated today was the first of its kind to be procured and installed at the De Martino Hospital as part of WHO’s vision to build an inclusive and equitable health systempost-COVID-19, together, with its partners and Ministry of Health and Human Services.

 “We are very grateful to WHO and the EU Delegation for the support they have offered to Somalia for this medical oxygen. The PSA oxygen plant they have provided is placed in our national specialized hospital for COVID-19 patients, the De Martino Hospital and can serve up to 25 intensive care patients facing dire health challenges at once, while another unit refills cylinders. Together, they can fill 100 40-litre oxygen cylinders in a day,” said H.E. Fawziya Abikar Nur, the Federal Minister of Health and Human Services in Somalia. “This support is part of a strategic roadmap to boost oxygen supply in hospitals across the country.”

“Simple medical oxygen is effective in treating many health challenges – including COVID-19 and surgical, emergency and critical care services, such as trauma. In 2018, pneumonia was estimated to kill around two children aged under five every hour in Somalia and yet global evidence shows that simple medical oxygen can reduce up to 35% of child deaths. It is so crucial and yet has no substitute,” said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik. “After noting its scarcity in Somalia during the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO mounted a speedy response, and provided medical oxygen as a smart, cost-effective investment to save more lives. In the coming months, WHO will continue to work to procure more medical oxygen to Somalia to bridge the gap in access.”

Mr Adam Abdelmoula said, “WHO is using a two-pronged approach to offering medical oxygen – while offering medical oxygen to health facilities and the Government, they are also training health care workers, biomedical engineers and technicians in using the installed oxygen plants, with support from the EU and other partners. These steps are essential in improving a health system and advancing towards health-related Sustainable Development Goals.”

The EU Ambassador, Tiina Intelmann, highlighted that this support to the Government through WHO is an important part of the EU-funded COVID-19 response work in Somalia. This oxygen plant installed at De Martino Hospital is the first one of such devices funded by the EU, with the two additional ones currently under deployment in Garowe and Hargeisa. The EU Ambassador explained that the EU support aimed at suppressing COVID-19 in Somalia, which initially started with humanitarian aid, was continued through a partnership with WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health in order to further support the strengthening of the health sector. EU support is not only focused on critical oxygen provision but also includes a vaccination campaign through the COVAX initiative.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Somalia in March 2020, none of the public sector hospitals had medical oxygen available and the health workforce was not trained on its use. Since then, WHO has worked with partners to procure, install and deliver PSA oxygen plants for large specialized hospitals, solar-powered medical oxygen systems for small hospitals and oxygen concentrators for primary health centres to ensure high-grade medical oxygen is available at points of care for every patient struggling to breathe.

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For additional information, please contact:

• Khadar Hussein Mohamud, Head of Coordination and Communications, Ministry of Health, Federal Government of Somalia, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Kyle DeFreitas, External Relations Officer, WHO Somalia, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Fouzia Bano, Communications Officer, WHO Somalia, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Vicente Selles, Liaison Officer/Communication Programme Manager, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Note to Editors

Please visit the links below for additional information:

Solar-powered medical oxygen systems saving lives in Somalia: using innovation to accelerate impact in a fragile setting

How a gloomy night brought a bright light in the fight against COVID-19

Counting every breath: a data-driven strategy to improve access to medical oxygen for COVID-19 patients in Somalia

Every breath counts: utilizing the COVID-19 response to increase access to oxygen

Survival analysis of critically ill patients with COVID-19 admitted to hospital in Somalia: how important was oxygen?

Solar-powered oxygen delivery in Somalia: the vital need beyond COVID-19

Historical moment for Somalia as COVID-19 vaccines arrive through COVAX Facility