WHO in Somalia
Somalia's Hudur Hospital gets a solar-powered upgrade
6 March 2025 – With support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, WHO has collaborated with the Federal and State Ministries of Health in Somalia to transform Hudur Hospital into a resilient, up-to-date facility powered by a solar energy system, which can provide quality, reliable health services to those in need. In the new,...
Somalia addresses critical immunity gaps as vaccination activities resume in Sool after 2 years of conflict
27 February 2025, Mogadishu, Somalia – On 13 February 2025, vaccination activities were launched in 4 districts of northern Somalia’s Sool region – Las Anod, Taleh, Hudun and Buuhoodle district– as part of The Big Catch-up initiative, an extended effort to lift vaccination levels among children to at least pre-COVID 19 pandemic levels. In...
Somalia launches a campaign to vaccinate 2.5 million children against polio
16 February 2025, Mogadishu, Somalia – Today Somalia launched a 4-day nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting 2.5 million children under the age of 5 in the consequential states, Juballand, Hirshabelle, Southwest, Galmudug and Banadir Regional Administration in Somalia. Led by the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services, with...
Layla’s journey to vaccinate her son during The Big Catch-up in Somalia
Somali mothers travel long distances to protect their children from outbreaks 6 February 2025 – Mothers play a critical role in keeping their children safe from diseases outbreaks, especially when it comes to vaccine-preventable diseases. In Somalia, where life can be tough, mothers have always worked hard to protect their families. This is even more...
Ahmed Moalim Hirsi retires after dedicating 26 years on the frontlines of polio eradication in Somalia
2 February 2025 – At 65, Ahmed Moalim Hirsi reflects on a lifetime of service dedicated to improving the health of people in Somalia. After 26 years as a polio eradicator with WHO Somalia, Ahmed retired in 2024, after a career characterized by resilience, dedication and impact. Ahmed’s journey with WHO began in April 1998 in Bosaso, a city on...
Bringing health care closer to displaced communities in Somalia
26 January 2025 – At the heart of Al-Adalada camp, west of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, 49-year-old Hawa Sharif Ali has found a vital lifeline for her family’s medical needs. She, like the thousands of other internally displaced people (IDPs) living in the camp, depends on the health services available at the Sinkadheer health centre in the...
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...
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,...
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...
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...