UN Provides USD 1.4M to Fight Measles Outbreak in Somalia

Nairobi (PNA/Xinhua) — The UN said Monday it has allocated USD 1.4 million for an emergency campaign to combat the outbreak of measles in Somalia that has already left thousands of children at risk of disability and death.

A statement from the UN humanitarian agency OCHA issued in Nairobi said the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will be used to vaccinate 520,000 children under 5 years in the worst affected areas of Banadir, Lower Juba and Puntland.

“The CERF funding comes at a crucial time when thousands of children’s lives are at risk,” said the Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Philippe Lazzarini, who is responsible for pooled fund allocation at country level.

The vaccination drive will help prevent the spread of the disease to other locations, particularly those inaccessible to vaccination teams. A nationwide catch-up campaign will be conducted in the next six months as part of the overall measles control strategy.

According to OCHA, about 4,000 suspected cases of measles were reported between January and June, more than double the suspected cases seen in the same period last year. Three quarters of cases were reported in children under 5 years.

Somalia faces some of the worst health indicators in the world; only 30 percent of people have access to health services and one in five children die before their fifth birthdays.

Measles is one of the leading killers of young children, a situation made worse by the lack of health services.

UNICEF Representative for Somalia Sikander Khan said a high number of Somali children are malnourished and therefore far more susceptible to illness such as measles which kills many children under 5 or leaves them blind, deaf or with brain damage.

“This is extremely alarming,” said Ghulam Popal, WHO Somalia Representative. “We know there has been extremely low immunization coverage among Somali children and we need to urgently ensure as many as possible are immunized.” (PNA/Xinhua) JBP/JSD