Somalia: Diphtheria Outbreak - DREF Final Report (MDRSO024)

Country: Somalia Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. What happened, where and when? Somalia has experienced a sharp surge in diphtheria cases in recent years. In 2025, the country reported 1,811 suspected cases and 89 deaths, marking a signicant increase compared to previous years and underscoring the ongoing outbreak and urgent need to strengthen vaccination coverage and healthcare systems. The outbreak continued to spread across 52 districts. Between epidemiological weeks 1–9 of 2026, a total of 871 clinically conrmed cases and 24 deaths were reported through health facilities via DHIS-2, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 3%. A majority of cases (66.7%) had no history of vaccination, while 73% occurred in individuals over ve years of age. Puntland: Over the past three years, Puntland has faced recurrent armed conict, climate-related displacement, and chronic underfunding of its healthcare system. These challenges have left communities particularly in Mudug, Karkaar, and Bari regions highly vulnerable to public health emergencies. The situation has been further exacerbated by shortages of medical supplies and qualied health personnel, as well as the closure or under-resourcing of health facilities. As of June 2025, 125 health facilities (75 in Mudug and 50 in Karkaar) were experiencing severe funding gaps, aecting an estimated 300,000 people, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), marginalized populations, and remote pastoralist communities. The disruption of essential health services has signicantly weakened routine immunization systems. Irregular vaccine supply and frequent cold chain interruptions have created dangerous immunity gaps, contributing to outbreaks of vaccin...

Original source: Relief Web