Mogadishu(SONNA)- Somalia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Ali Haji Adam, is leading a door-to-door community engagement campaign across the Benadir Region to combat a deadly diphtheria outbreak that has killed at least 50 children and affected more than 1,000 others.
The campaign, carried out in coordination with local authorities during the ongoing municipal election period, urges parents to ensure their children receive the diphtheria vaccine. Health officials say community outreach is critical to stopping the spread of the highly contagious bacterial disease, which primarily affects unvaccinated children.
As part of the response, schools across Benadir have joined the effort by promoting health awareness, identifying unvaccinated students, and supporting vaccination teams. A targeted outbreak response vaccination campaign was launched on December 15 and ran through December 20, reaching thousands of children with life-saving vaccines and public health information.
The Somali government is working closely with United Nations agencies, including UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), to strengthen surveillance, expand immunization coverage, and mobilize communities. Authorities have emphasized that timely vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent diphtheria-related deaths and further transmission.
Health officials continue to call on parents and caregivers to cooperate with vaccination teams to protect children and bring the outbreak under control.
