Children at Highest Risk
Somalia is witnessing a rapid escalation in diphtheria infections, with children making up over 97% of reported cases. The highly contagious bacterial illness, which is preventable through vaccination, has become a major public health concern.
Hospitals Overwhelmed by Patients
According to Dr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed, director of Demartino public hospital in Mogadishu, the number of patients has surged drastically. “In 2024 we recorded 49 cases, but in just four months of 2025 we have admitted 497,” he said. Deaths have also increased, rising from 13 last year to 42 this year, with the outbreak described as a serious threat to national health.
National Figures Show Rising Death Toll
The Somali health ministry announced earlier this month that 1,616 cases and 87 deaths have been registered so far in 2025. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has attributed the rise to insufficient vaccination, reluctance to immunise, and poor living standards.
Critical Shortages of Antitoxin
MSF’s medical coordinator in Somalia, Frida Athanassiadis, noted that health facilities are struggling with limited resources as cases increase. Emergency reserves of diphtheria antitoxin have already been depleted, with the health ministry and World Health Organization distributing the remaining supply according to priority needs.
Multiple Outbreaks Reported
In July, Save the Children said cases of measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, cholera, and severe respiratory infections had doubled within three months, climbing from around 22,600 to over 46,000. The organisation reported that nearly 60% of those infected were children under five, linking the rise to aid cuts that have weakened immunisation campaigns and disrupted healthcare services.
Communities Voice Concern
Residents in Mogadishu say the disease is spreading through neighbourhoods. “Many children nearby are sick, some are in hospital,” said local resident Abdiwahid Ali. Another resident, grocer Anab Hassan, added: “A friend lost her five-year-old daughter to diphtheria. Others tell me their children are coughing and unwell. Every day we hear of new cases.”
