December 05, 2025 04:01 pm (IST)
Follow us:
Somalia: UN calls for action to curb measles outbreaks
New York, Jun 11 (IBNS): Voicing deep concern that outbreaks of measles have left thousands of children in Somalia at risk of disability or death, United Nations agencies on Tuesday called for urgent vaccination to tackle the highly contagious disease.
"This is extremely alarming. There is a very poor health care system due to the years of conflict," warned Dr. Ghulam Popal, Somalia Representative of the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
"We know there have been extremely low immunization rates among Somali children and we need to urgently ensure as many as possible are vaccinated."
There were over 1,350 suspected cases of measles in March and April 2014 – four times more than the number during the same period last year, and nearly 1,000 cases were reported in May alone, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
In response, with support from WHO, UNICEF and partners, Somali health authorities have launched small scale vaccination campaigns and will carry out larger emergency vaccination in the most affected areas of Bari, Nugaal, Mudug, Banadir and Lower Juba this month, targeting half a million children under five.
"We have a very high number of malnourished Somali children," said Sikander Khan, UNICEF Somalia Representative, adding that "Malnourished children here are more susceptible to disease – and are more likely to die or suffer life long disability such as blindness, deafness or brain damage as a result of contracting measles."
Both WHO and UNICEF underscore that national measles campaigns need to be conducted immediately to avoid unnecessary deaths. This means vaccinating about 5 million children and young people between the ages of 9 months to 15 years old, at an estimated cost of USD 9 million.
Further, according to WHO, 10 per cent of children affected by measles could die from complications, especially in complex emergency situations like Somalia.
Two decades of conflict have ruined Somalia’s health sector, leaving the country with some of the worst health and nutrition indicators in the world. Approximately one in five children dies before their fifth birthday – with measles as one of the main causes.
(UN Photo/Marie Frechon)
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Your plastic bottle could be harming your gut! Indian study reveals shocking health risks of nano-plastics
Fri, Dec 05 2025
Using your air purifier all day? Experts say it could trigger these shocking health issues!
Thu, Dec 04 2025
Stunning drop! India reports 49% fall in annual new HIV cases
Tue, Dec 02 2025
WHO describes obesity as a 'chronic disease', backs wider use of weight-loss medicines
Tue, Dec 02 2025
FBS Test: The Standard Screening for Diabetes and Prediabetes
Mon, Dec 01 2025
WHO sounds alarm: Infertility now strikes 1 in 6 people worldwide!
Sat, Nov 29 2025