Children Bearing the Brunt
Somalia is witnessing a rapid surge in diphtheria cases, with children representing over 97% of infections. The bacterial disease, which is highly contagious and potentially fatal, can be prevented through vaccination, yet gaps in coverage remain a major challenge.
Hospitals Report Growing Numbers
Dr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed, head of Demartino public hospital in Mogadishu, noted a stark rise. “In 2024 we saw 49 cases, but within the first four months of 2025 alone, we admitted 497 patients,” he said. Fatalities also climbed from 13 last year to 42 this year.
Health Ministry Confirms Scale
The Somali health ministry announced 1,616 cases and 87 deaths in 2025 to date. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) pointed to poor vaccination coverage, hesitancy among communities, and harsh living conditions as key drivers of the spread, especially in central regions.
Critical Shortage of Treatment
MSF’s Somalia medical coordinator, Frida Athanassiadis, said clinics are struggling to manage rising patient numbers with limited resources. Emergency antitoxin supplies have already been used up, leaving the health ministry and World Health Organization to ration scarce stocks.
Other Diseases on the Rise
Save the Children reported in July that cases of illnesses such as measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, and cholera doubled in three months, rising from about 22,600 to more than 46,000. Nearly 60% of the affected were under five years old. The NGO linked the increase to aid cuts that weakened immunisation and routine health services.
Communities Express Concern
Residents in Mogadishu say the outbreak is spreading fear. “Many children in my neighbourhood are sick, some are hospitalised,” said Abdiwahid Ali. Shopkeeper Anab Hassan added: “A friend lost her five-year-old daughter to diphtheria, and every day we hear of more sick children.”
