Somalia Diphtheria Surge
MOGADISHU, Aug 19 — Somalia is grappling with a sharp surge in diphtheria cases and deaths as global vaccine shortages and cuts in foreign aid weaken the country’s ability to respond, health officials have warned.
More than 1,600 cases of the highly contagious bacterial disease have been reported so far in 2025, including 87 deaths — almost double last year’s toll of 838 cases and 56 deaths, according to Hussein Abdukar Muhidin, Director of the National Institute of Health.
Vaccine Gaps Leave Children Exposed
Diphtheria, which causes swollen glands, breathing difficulties and fever, is preventable with a widely available vaccine. While Somalia’s childhood immunisation rates have improved over the past decade, officials say hundreds of thousands of children remain unprotected, leaving communities at risk of outbreaks.
Conflict‑driven displacement is compounding the problem. In the central town of Ceeldheere, fighting forced Deka Mohamed Ali to flee with her four unvaccinated children. All contracted diphtheria. Her nine‑year‑old daughter recovered, but her eight‑year‑old son died. Two toddlers are now being treated in Mogadishu.
“My children got sick and I just stayed at home because I did not know it was diphtheria,” she told Reuters, describing her three‑year‑old’s throat swelling “to the size of a lemon.”
Aid Cuts Strain Health System
Health Minister Ali Haji Adam said vaccine procurement has been hit by a global shortage, while cuts in U.S. assistance have disrupted distribution.
“The U.S. aid cut terribly affected the health funds it used to provide to Somalia. Many health centres closed. Mobile vaccination teams… lost funding and now do not work,” Adam said.
U.S. foreign assistance commitments to Somalia have fallen to $149 million for the current fiscal year, down from $765 million the year before. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said Washington “continues to provide lifesaving foreign assistance” and urged other nations to increase humanitarian support.
Wider Donor Retrenchment
Aid group Save the Children reported last month that the closure of hundreds of health facilities amid funding cuts has contributed to a doubling of combined cases of diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, cholera and severe respiratory infections since mid‑April.
Beyond the U.S., major donors including Britain, France and Germany have also reduced budgets. Domestically, Somalia’s health budget allocation dropped to 4.8% in 2024, from 8.5% the previous year, Amnesty International said.
Outlook: Urgent Action Needed
The health ministry has announced plans for a vaccination drive but has yet to provide a start date. Public health experts warn that without swift action to restore vaccine supplies and outreach capacity, Somalia risks losing the immunisation gains it has made in recent years.
With cases mounting and funding shrinking, the country faces a pivotal moment in containing an entirely preventable disease.
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