Somalia is experiencing a sharp rise in diphtheria cases and deaths, with over 1,600 cases and 87 deaths recorded this year, more than double the 838 cases reported in 2024.
The country’s health officials attribute this surge to severe vaccine shortages and significant cuts in U.S. aid, which have severely hampered response efforts.
Hundreds of thousands of children in Somalia remain unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, making them vulnerable to the bacterial disease that causes swollen glands, breathing problems, and fever.
The U.S. aid cuts have forced the closure of many health centers and mobile vaccination teams, further exacerbating the crisis.
Somalia’s Health Minister, Ali Haji Adam, stated that the government is struggling to procure enough vaccines due to a global shortage and is finding it difficult to distribute the available doses.
The U.S. State Department maintains that it continues to provide lifesaving foreign assistance in Somalia, but aid groups like Save the Children report that clinic closures have led to a surge in infectious diseases.
