Somalia Launches $5.6 Million Plan To Combat Cholera Outbreak

Somalia, in partnership with the United Nations, on Tuesday unveiled a six-month, $5.6 million plan to intensify the response to a cholera outbreak that has claimed nine lives and reported 474 cases between January 7 and 13. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this current outbreak has a case-fatality ratio of 1.9%, surpassing the WHO emergency threshold of 1%.

The WHO attributes the outbreak to limited access to safe water, proper sanitation, primary health care services, and high levels of acute malnutrition among children, which diminishes their immunity to cholera infections. The majority of cases are reported from Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions in central Somalia, particularly in Beledweyne, Buloburto, Jalalaqsi, and Jowhar districts.

This outbreak is a continuation from 2023, with over 18,300 cases reported, including more than 10,000 children under 5 years old. Cholera, an acute intestinal infection, spreads through food and water contaminated with bacteria, often from feces. Somalia has faced uninterrupted cholera transmission since 2022 and in the Banadir region since the drought of 2017.

Response efforts include risk communication, community education, distribution of awareness materials, deployment of health workers, and radio messages promoting safe water handling and hygiene practices. The WHO notes that while factors like poverty and conflict are persistent triggers for outbreaks, extreme climate events like floods and droughts exacerbate conditions for cholera to thrive.