Latest news with #Diphtheria
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Diphtheria cases spiralling in Somalia, health officials warn
Diphtheria cases are rapidly increasing across Somalia, officials and humanitarians warn, with children accounting for more than 97% of the cases. Diphtheria, a highly contagious and deadly bacterial disease that mainly affects children, is preventable by a vaccine. While Somalia has improved vaccination rates in recent years, the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) blames the uptick in cases on persisting immunisation gaps. Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed, the director of Demartino public hospital in the capital, Mogadishu, said: 'The number of recorded cases of children sick with diphtheria has increased across the regions in the whole country. We have received about 49 patients in the whole of 2024 but this year, 2025, we have received 497 diphtheria cases during the last four months alone.' Deaths had risen from 13 to 42, according to a report by Ahmed's hospital this month. The report described the resurgence of diphtheria as 'one of the most urgent and dangerous threats to public health'. Earlier this month, the health ministry said it had recorded 1,616 cases and 87 deaths from the disease so far this year. MSF's Somalia medical coordinator, Frida Athanassiadis, said: 'We are seeing a rapid increase in diphtheria among children under 15 in central Somalia,' adding that they accounted for roughly 97% of cases. 'Low vaccination coverage, vaccine hesitancy and poor living conditions are driving the spread.' Athanassiadis said that in some medical centres the basic resources were 'insufficient to cope with rising caseloads'. MSF said while teams initially had a small emergency stock of the antitoxin, it had now been exhausted, with the health ministry and the World Health Organization helping to distribute the 'limited available stock based on needs'. In July, Save the Children warned that since April cases of measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, cholera and severe respiratory infections in Somalia had doubled from roughly 22,600 to more than 46,000. About 60% of the cases were children under five, it said. 'The sharp rise in vaccine-preventable diseases is linked to the recent aid cuts, which have impacted the health system's capacity to deliver essential services, including routine immunisation, and to treat and run catch-up campaigns to increase the immunity necessary to halt the outbreak,' the NGO said. In Mogadishu, one resident, Abdiwahid Ali, said: 'Many children in my neighbourhood are sick, some of them hospitalised.' Anab Hassan, a grocer, said people were concerned about the outbreak. 'A friend of mine lost a five-year-old daughter who was diagnosed with diphtheria, and several others told me their children are sick and coughing,' she said. 'We hear about children getting sick every day.'
Arab News
6 hours ago
- Health
- Arab News
Somalia faces diphtheria surge amid vaccine shortages and aid cuts
MOGADISHU: Diphtheria cases and deaths have risen sharply this year in Somalia, where the response has been curtailed by vaccine shortages and US aid cuts, Somali officials than 1,600 cases, including 87 deaths, have been recorded, up from 838 cases and 56 deaths in all of 2024, said Hussein Abdukar Muhidin, the general director of Somalia's National Institute of a bacterial disease that causes swollen glands, breathing problems and fever and mostly affects children, is preventable with a vaccine that became widely available in the mid-20th immunization rates in Somalia have improved over the past decade, but hundreds of thousands of children are still not fully fleeing fighting between government forces and Islamist militants in the central Somalia town of Ceeldheere three months ago, all four of Deka Mohamed Ali's children, none of whom was vaccinated, contracted diphtheria. Her 9-year-old daughter recovered, but her 8-year-old son died and two toddlers are now being treated at a hospital in the capital Mogadishu.'My children got sick and I just stayed at home because I did not know it was diphtheria,' she told Reuters from the bedside of her 3-year-old son Musa Abdullahi whose throat was swollen to the size of a lemon from the Minister Ali Hajji Adam said the government had struggled to procure enough vaccines due to a global shortage and that US aid cuts were making it difficult to distribute the doses it President Donald Trump cut most foreign assistance earlier this year, the United States was the leading humanitarian donor to Somalia, whose health budget is almost entirely funded by donors.'The US aid cut terribly affected the health funds it used to provide to Somalia. Many health centers closed. Mobile vaccination teams that took vaccines to remote areas lost funding and now do not work,' said separately echoed his comments about the US foreign assistance commitments to Somalia stand at $149 million for the fiscal year that ends on September 30, compared with $765 million in the previous fiscal year, according to US government statistics.'The United States continues to provide lifesaving foreign assistance in Somalia,' a US State Department spokesperson said when asked about the impact of its aid cuts in the country.'America is the most generous nation in the world, and we urge other nations to dramatically increase their humanitarian efforts.'Aid group Save the Children said last month that the closure of hundreds of health clinics in Somalia this year due to foreign cuts has contributed to a doubling in the number of combined cases of diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, cholera and severe respiratory infections since the US, Britain, France, Germany and other major Western donors are also cutting aid government has also faced criticism from doctors and human rights activists for its limited funding of the health sector. In 2024, it allocated 4.8 percent of its budget to health, down from 8.5 percent the previous year, Amnesty International health ministry did not respond to a question about that criticism. It has said it is planning to launch a vaccination drive but has not given details when.
Asharq Al-Awsat
9 hours ago
- Health
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Somalia Faces Diphtheria Surge amid Vaccine Shortages and Aid Cuts
Diphtheria cases and deaths have risen sharply this year in Somalia, where the response has been curtailed by vaccine shortages and US aid cuts, Somali officials said. More than 1,600 cases, including 87 deaths, have been recorded, up from 838 cases and 56 deaths in all of 2024, said Hussein Abdukar Muhidin, the general director of Somalia's National Institute of Health. Diphtheria, a bacterial disease that causes swollen glands, breathing problems and fever and mostly affects children, is preventable with a vaccine that became widely available in the mid-20th century. Childhood immunization rates in Somalia have improved over the past decade, but hundreds of thousands of children are still not fully vaccinated. After fleeing fighting between government forces and extremist militants in the central Somalia town of Ceeldheere three months ago, all four of Deka Mohamed Ali's children, none of whom was vaccinated, contracted diphtheria. Her 9-year-old daughter recovered, but her 8-year-old son died and two toddlers are now being treated at a hospital in the capital Mogadishu. "My children got sick and I just stayed at home because I did not know it was diphtheria," she told Reuters from the bedside of her 3-year-old son Musa Abdullahi whose throat was swollen to the size of a lemon from the infection. Health Minister Ali Haji Adam said the government had struggled to procure enough vaccines due to a global shortage and that US aid cuts were making it difficult to distribute the doses it had. Before President Donald Trump cut most foreign assistance earlier this year, the United States was the leading humanitarian donor to Somalia, whose health budget is almost entirely funded by donors. "The US aid cut terribly affected the health funds it used to provide to Somalia. Many health centets closed. Mobile vaccination teams that took vaccines to remote areas lost funding and now do not work," said Adam. Muhidin separately echoed his comments about the closures. Overall US foreign assistance commitments to Somalia stand at $149 million for the fiscal year that ends on September 30, compared with $765 million in the previous fiscal year, according to US government statistics. "The United States continues to provide lifesaving foreign assistance in Somalia," a US State Department spokesperson said when asked about the impact of its aid cuts in the country. "America is the most generous nation in the world, and we urge other nations to dramatically increase their humanitarian efforts." Aid group Save the Children said last month that the closure of hundreds of health clinics in Somalia this year due to foreign cuts has contributed to a doubling in the number of combined cases of diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, cholera and severe respiratory infections since mid-April. Besides the US, Britain, France, Germany and other major Western donors are also cutting aid budgets. Somalia's government has also faced criticism from doctors and human rights activists for its limited funding of the health sector. In 2024, it allocated 4.8% of its budget to health, down from 8.5% the previous year, Amnesty International said. The health ministry did not respond to a question about that criticism. It has said it is planning to launch a vaccination drive but has not given details when.
Reuters
11 hours ago
- Health
- Reuters
Somalia faces diphtheria surge amid vaccine shortages and aid cuts
MOGADISHU, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Diphtheria cases and deaths have risen sharply this year in Somalia, where the response has been curtailed by vaccine shortages and U.S. aid cuts, Somali officials said. More than 1,600 cases, including 87 deaths, have been recorded, up from 838 cases and 56 deaths in all of 2024, said Hussein Abdukar Muhidin, the general director of Somalia's National Institute of Health. Diphtheria, a bacterial disease that causes swollen glands, breathing problems and fever and mostly affects children, is preventable with a vaccine that became widely available in the mid-20th century. Childhood immunisation rates in Somalia have improved over the past decade, but hundreds of thousands of children are still not fully vaccinated. After fleeing fighting between government forces and Islamist militants in the central Somalia town of Ceeldheere three months ago, all four of Deka Mohamed Ali's children, none of whom was vaccinated, contracted diphtheria. Her 9-year-old daughter recovered, but her 8-year-old son died and two toddlers are now being treated at a hospital in the capital Mogadishu. "My children got sick and I just stayed at home because I did not know it was diphtheria," she told Reuters from the bedside of her 3-year-old son Musa Abdullahi whose throat was swollen to the size of a lemon from the infection. Health Minister Ali Haji Adam said the government had struggled to procure enough vaccines due to a global shortage and that U.S. aid cuts were making it difficult to distribute the doses it had. Before President Donald Trump cut most foreign assistance earlier this year, the United States was the leading humanitarian donor to Somalia, whose health budget is almost entirely funded by donors. "The U.S. aid cut terribly affected the health funds it used to provide to Somalia. Many health centres closed. Mobile vaccination teams that took vaccines to remote areas lost funding and now do not work," said Adam. Muhidin separately echoed his comments about the closures. Overall U.S. foreign assistance commitments to Somalia stand at $149 million for the fiscal year that ends on September 30, compared with $765 million in the previous fiscal year, according to U.S. government statistics. "The United States continues to provide lifesaving foreign assistance in Somalia," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said when asked about the impact of its aid cuts in the country. "America is the most generous nation in the world, and we urge other nations to dramatically increase their humanitarian efforts." Aid group Save the Children said last month that the closure of hundreds of health clinics in Somalia this year due to foreign cuts has contributed to a doubling in the number of combined cases of diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, cholera and severe respiratory infections since mid-April. Besides the U.S., Britain, France, Germany and other major Western donors are also cutting aid budgets. Somalia's government has also faced criticism from doctors and human rights activists for its limited funding of the health sector. In 2024, it allocated 4.8% of its budget to health, down from 8.5% the previous year, Amnesty International said. The health ministry did not respond to a question about that criticism. It has said it is planning to launch a vaccination drive but has not given details when.
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Business Standard
16-07-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
South Asia achieves record immunisation coverage: WHO, Unicef data
South Asia has achieved its highest-ever immunization coverage for children, with notable progress in India and Nepal, according to new data released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF for 2024. India reduced its number of zero-dose children those who have not received a single vaccine by 43 per cent, from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024. Nepal achieved a 52 per cent reduction, from 23,000 to 11,000, a WHO statement said. Pakistan also recorded its highest-ever DTP3 (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) coverage at 87 per cent. However, Afghanistan continued to struggle, with the lowest coverage in the region and a one percentage point decline since last year, it added. The progress marks a milestone in the region's efforts to protect every child from vaccine-preventable diseases. "This is a proud moment for South Asia. More children are protected today than ever before, thanks to tireless frontline health workers, strong government leadership, donors' and partners' support and the unwavering trust of families," said Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. "But we cannot forget the millions of children who are under-vaccinated or unvaccinated. Now is the time to push further, especially into the most rural areas, to give every child his or her right to healthcare in the earliest years of life," he said. In 2024, 92 per cent of infants in South Asia received the third dose of the DTP vaccine a crucial global indicator up two percentage points from 2023. The first-dose DTP coverage rose from 93 to 95 per cent, showing a strong recovery beyond pre-COVID levels, the statement said. There was also a 27 per cent drop in zero-dose children across the region, from 2.5 million in 2023 to 1.8 million in 2024. The region also made significant strides in measles control. In 2024, 93 per cent of infants received the first dose and 88 per cent the second dose of the measles vaccine, up from 90 per cent and 87 per cent respectively. Measles cases fell 39 per cent -- from over 90,000 in 2023 to about 55,000 this year. However, coverage still remains below the 95 per cent threshold needed to prevent outbreaks, the statement said. "It is heartening to see WHO South-East Asia Region reach the highest ever immunization rates, surpassing the pre-pandemic up-trend. We must build on this momentum and step up efforts to reach every child with these lifesaving vaccines. Together we can, and we must," said Dr Thaksaphon Thamarangsi, Director Programme Management, WHO South-East Asia Region. HPV vaccination coverage for adolescent girls rose from 2 per cent in 2023 to 9 per cent in 2024. Bangladesh made significant progress, vaccinating over 7.1 million girls since launching its programme in 2023. Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka also increased their HPV coverage by 3 percentage points (91 per cent to 94 per cent), 15 points (60 per cent to 75 per cent), and 17 points (31 per cent to 48 per cent) respectively. Nepal launched its national HPV vaccination campaign in February 2025 and has vaccinated over 1.4 million girls. India and Pakistan are expected to roll out their HPV vaccination programmes later this year, the statement said. Behind these gains are sustained government efforts, investments, policies, and the dedication of frontline and community health workersmany of them womenalongside donor and partner support. Use of digital tools, improved data systems, and targeted outreach campaigns have also played a key role, it said. While significant progress was made, over 2.9 million children in the region remain un- or under-vaccinated and therefore unprotected, the statement said. With this in mind, UNICEF and WHO urged governments in South Asia to sustain political commitment, increase domestic financing for immunization, expand HPV vaccine coverage, and intensify efforts to reach zero-dose and under-vaccinated children. They also called for greater investment in frontline health workers and reinforcement of surveillance systems for vaccine-preventable diseases. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
