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New study estimates that 71 000 drought-related “excess” deaths may have occurred in Somalia between 2022 and 2024
About 40% of the deaths were of young children.
22 January 2025, Mogadishu, Somalia – A study released today by the Somali Federal Ministry of Health, UNICEF and WHO estimates that 71 100 people may have died between January 2022 and June 2024 because of the drought that ravaged large parts of Somalia in 2022. About 40% of these deaths were estimated among children under the age of 5.
The report, From insight to action: an update on mortality patterns in Somalia, was released today in Mogadishu by Minister of Health Dr Ali Hadji Adam Abubakar. In attendance were Mr George Conway, Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms Wafaa Saeed, UNICEF Representative, and Dr Reinhilde Van de Weerdt, WHO Representative in Somalia.
The study, the fifth and final report in a planned series, provides a retrospective analysis of the impact of the drought on population mortality across Somalia during a 30-month period, which includes the 2022 drought that affected 7.9 million people, nearly half the population, and brought the country to the brink of famine. With the concerted efforts of the Government of Somalia and its humanitarian partners, famine was narrowly averted but Somalia was left counting the residual toll on human lives.
Commissioned by UNICEF and WHO and carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London, and Somalia’s SIMAD University, the study is an update on the first report published in March 2023 that estimated 43 000 excess deaths attributable to the 2022 drought. This latest study observes that most excess deaths occurred in the south-central regions of Somalia, including Banadir, Bay, and Lower Shabelle. Despite high levels of food insecurity, the north-east regions experienced relatively low levels of mortality.
“For my Ministry, our focus is on creating a strong and robust health system as the cornerstone of a healthy and thriving Somali society,” says Health Minister Dr Ali Hadji Adam Abubakar. “At the heart of this approach is delivering health and nutrition services in an integrated manner, at the lowest unit of the health delivery chain, and in a way that gives priority to vulnerable children and women.”
“The findings of this study highlight the profound impact that the 2022–2024 drought has had on the lives of the Somali people. With over 70 000 deaths, the majority of which were children, this is a stark reminder of the urgent need for continued support and resilience-building efforts in Somalia,” says WHO Representative Dr Renee van De Weerdt Renhilde. “This also underlines the critical importance of strengthening Somalia’s health emergency prevention, preparedness, readiness and resilience system to effectively respond to emergencies and provide sustained care for people in need. WHO continues to collaborate with the Somali government and partners to ensure that communities are not only protected during crises, but also empowered to withstand and recover from future shocks.”
“This report serves as a serious and sad reminder of the devastating impact of climate change on vulnerable families in Somalia,” says UNICEF Representative Wafaa Saeed. “As resources to respond to humanitarian needs have become more limited, the government and its partners must continue to explore innovative investments to expand the reach of integrated life-saving services, including health, nutrition, water and sanitation. Given the recurring nature of climate-induced crises, we must also scale up investments in community resilience to future shocks, anticipatory action and prevention of disease outbreaks.”
Recurrent shocks from climatic events such as drought and floods, as well as conflict and insecurity, and disease outbreaks, continue to exacerbate humanitarian needs in Somalia, alongside underlying factors such as widespread poverty, lack of diversified livelihoods and equitable economic growth, insecurity and marginalization, and weak basic service delivery systems.
The latest report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, a food security partnership that includes governments, United Nations agencies, nongovernmental organizations and others, released in September 2024, shows that extreme acute food insecurity remains widespread, with 4.4 million people predicted to experience crisis levels of hunger and 1.6 million children expected to be acutely malnourished this year, placing them at higher risk of death and permanent developmental delay.
A summary of the report can be downloaded here.
For additional information, please contact:
Federal Republic of Somalia Ministry of Health and Human Services:
UNICEF: Victor Chinyama,
WHO: Myriam Haberecht,
Breaking the cycle: addressing recurring cholera outbreaks in Somalia
4 November 2024, Mogadishu, Somalia – Since the early 1990s, Somalia has suffered multiple outbreaks of cholera which, due to poor sanitary conditions, have affected a majority of the population living in internally displaced camps.
The latest outbreak occurred early in 2024 in the capital Mogadishu, with the districts of Dayniile, Dharkaynley, Wadajir, Kahda and Hamar Jajab particularly badly affected. In response, the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services and the Banadir Health Administration, with the support of WHO, UNICEF and other partners, promptly embarked on a door-to-door cholera vaccination campaign targeting the affected districts to prevent the spread of the disease. Staff also conducted awareness-raising activities to educate residents on how to control the spread of cholera.
WHO polio programme assets and expertise were deployed to support the response activities. Hawa Abdullahi Ali, 55-years-old, who has worked on polio campaigns in Kahda since 1998, first as a vaccinator and then in her current position as District Polio Officer, was among the experienced team that WHO relied on to deliver relief to thousands of residents in the high risk district of Kahda in May 2024.
Hawa says the experience underlined the importance of delivering high quality interventions to vulnerable residents.
It is not the first time Hawa and her colleagues working in the polio programme have delivered on other public health priorities. They were also responsible for building coordination and strengthening surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic response.
"The contribution of the polio workforce in responding to other public health emergencies is critical to the overall service delivered to vulnerable people. Protecting those most at risk, in the communities in the most at-risk areas, is key to reducing infections and saving lives,” says Hawa.
“By rapidly responding to the cholera outbreaks we were able to limit transmission, safeguard communities and prevent our health systems being overwhelmed.”
Through efforts like that of Hawa, the WHO polio programme, with the support of the Government and other partners, successfully vaccinated over 1 244 687 people aged one year and older with the oral cholera vaccine (OCV) across 12 districts in 5 states in May 2024.
“Our dedicated team, which included 244 district field assistants, 12 district polio officers, 10 regional polio officers, 5 state polio officers, state data assistants, national data managers, state SIA coordinators and over 2196 vaccinators and recorders, played a crucial role in this achievement,” said WHO Somalia’s Immunization Coordinator Dr Gedi Mohamed.
Hawa believes her team’s efforts not only protected locals from cholera but also inspired hope among vulnerable families who viewed the health workers as a lifeline during this critical time.
"As a team, we understood that every vaccine we delivered could mean the difference between life and death. The trust we've built within the community empowered us to reach more people than we imagined. It was incredible to see mothers lining up, knowing that together we were safeguarding the future of our children.”
Cholera remains a major public health challenge in Somalia, especially in regions affected by conflict and displacement, and with limited access to clean water and sanitation.
Over the years, cholera outbreaks have claimed many lives and placed immense pressure on Somalia's fragile health care system. Coordinated efforts by the Government of Somalia, WHO and partners have been instrumental in reducing the impact of the disease through rapid response measures, health education and vaccination campaigns.
In the last four weeks, 768 new cholera cases have been reported from 31 districts, with a rise in cases in the areas of Kismayu, Jowhar, Marka, Burhakab, Barawe, Borama and Baidoa. Of these cases, 399 (52.0%) were female and 407 (53%) were children under 5 years.
To control cholera and prevent future outbreaks, it is crucial that all stakeholders prioritize sustainable access to clean water and improved sanitation and support the widespread delivery of cholera vaccines. Together, these actions can protect vulnerable populations and ensure that life-saving health services reach those most in need.
Voices from the field: Hani Jilaow Mohamed, polio vaccinator in Mogadishu
27 October, Mogadishu, Somalia – In Mogadishu, one of the few cities in the world where the threat of polio persists, Hani Jilaow Mohamed, a dedicated polio vaccinator, has been working on the front lines of public health since 2005.
Hani’s blend of skill and courage has made her a pivotal figure in the ongoing fight against the disease.
The 36-year-old mother of 6 is one of thousands of health workers who vaccinate children against polio and other infectious diseases.
Before Hani embarked on a career in public health, she and her family were deeply affected by the civil war in Somalia when the long drawn out conflict tragically claimed her father's life. With the family deprived of its sole breadwinner, Hani was forced to drop out of elementary school. Later, though, she secured a place on a health training programme offered by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
After being trained on vaccination techniques in 2005, Hani was equipped with the skills needed to pursue a career administering vaccines to children and adults. "My goal was to learn a skill that could help me earn a living while assisting others. Since then, I have dedicated myself to this work," she says.
Overcoming challenges to immunization
The absence of a functional government made it difficult for aid workers like Hani and her team to deliver essential health services. "In August 2006, when the security situation in Mogadishu was dire,” she recalls, “gang members, probably unaware of our mission, came after me and tried to steal our cold boxes. Luckily, none of my team was injured. And today, thankfully, things have improved."
When Hani began working, the concept of vaccination was often misunderstood within the community. Undeterred, Hani and her team – including a supervisor, social mobilizer and recorder – persevered with their vital work.
“Initially, many people feared getting vaccinated. To build understanding, we worked with midwives, traditional leaders and religious figures to educate the community about the benefits of vaccination. Gradually, awareness levels grew, and acceptance of vaccines improved."
Currently, Hani and her team are working as part of the Big Catch-Up Initiative, a recovery plan initiated last year to close the immunization gaps that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the Waberi Maternal and Child Health Centre (MCH) in Mogadishu, polio health workers assemble at 08:00 every day before embarking on door-to-door visits across the district.
"During vaccination campaigns, I leave my house in the morning, head to Waberi MCH and pick up my vaccine carrier and supplies and then vaccinate around 18 to 20 households each day,” says Hani, describing her daily routine which ends at 17:00.
Hani and her team say improved security and greater community acceptance of vaccines have made their work noticeably easier.
"Over the years, Somalia – formerly one of the most at-risk countries for polio – has made significant progress thanks to global efforts spearheaded by WHO. These initiatives have bolstered the fight against polio, and brought us close to the ultimate goal of eradicating the disease in Somalia."
Hani adds, however, that more work is needed to end the outbreak of variant poliovirus type 2 which began in 2017, and to strengthen routine immunization for children across the country.
Somalia renews its commitment to end polio and ensure vaccination for every child
24 October 2024, Somalia – This World Polio Day, the Government of Somalia, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) join in reaffirming their commitment to safeguard every child against polio.
Since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, the incidence of polio has plummeted by 99 per cent thanks to the widespread use of vaccines. Engagement by Somalia's Federal Ministry of Health, state leaders, communities, parents and caregivers, and the support of health care workers, has been vital to the success of vaccination campaigns.
Achieving and maintaining a polio-free world means every child will be safe from being paralyzed by the disease. Today, as we mark the profound success of immunization against polio, we also call on all stakeholders to fund and prioritize vaccines in 2024.
Somalia successfully stopped transmission of wild poliovirus in 2014. However, the country is now facing the world’s longest running outbreak of circulating variant poliovirus type 2. Somalia is also facing recurrent outbreaks of measles and cholera spurred by drought and floods, underscoring the need for novel techniques to reach children in remote communities, expand vaccination coverage and enhance the health system.
“As we celebrate progress, we also recognize the critical work that remains. Incredible political commitment, demonstrated by the Prime Minister’s National Task Force on Immunization and Polio Eradication, along with the active involvement of ministers and state leaders in inaugurating polio campaigns, has been crucial in driving efforts to stop the current outbreak. Collaboration between the Somali government, health workers and international partners is paving the way towards a polio-free Somalia,” said the Minister of Health and Human Services of the Federal Government of Somalia Dr Ali Haji Adam.
"On this important day, we recognize the significant progress Somalia has made in the fight against polio through sustained immunization efforts, even in the country’s most remote regions, and strengthened surveillance systems that protect our gains. We remain committed to ensuring Somalia stays on track towards a polio-free future and will continue to provide support," said WHO Somalia Deputy Representative Dr Mohamed Ali Kamil.
Now is the time to end polio for good. But if we don’t stay committed the virus could quickly make a comeback. Somalia has been streamlining efforts to end transmission, using updated emergency action plans developed collectively by the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services and GPEI partners.
"On this World Polio Day, we reflect on our journey and renew our commitment to reach every last child. With the tools at our disposal, we must intensify our efforts, innovate new strategies to reach those we’ve missed, and strengthen routine immunization," said UNICEF Deputy Country Representative for Somalia Nisar Syed. "No child should be paralyzed by or die from an illness that can be prevented through immunization. Investing in vaccines and a robust health system is a sure step to help protect future generations."
Immunization is one of humanity’s most remarkable success stories. In the last 50 years, immunization efforts have saved thousands of lives and helped significantly reduce infant deaths across the country. Together, we will work to secure a polio-free future for all Somali children.
For additional information, please contact:
Mohamed Osman, Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services, Head of Comms & Public Engagement,
Khadar Hared, WHO Communication Officer,
Lisa Hill, Communications Specialist, UNICEF,
