Report Reveals Thousands of Young Lives in Jeopardy Due to Somalia’s Poor Vaccination Coverage
In the heart of Mogadishu, a troubling situation unfolds in Somalia (AX) as the nation grapples with alarmingly low immunization and treatment rates for pneumonia and diarrhea. These two maladies are the leading killers of children under the age of five. A recent analysis by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health highlights that Somalia is painfully lagging in delivering essential healthcare measures, putting countless young lives at stake.
The study titled “Tracking Progress Toward Pneumonia and Diarrhea Control” scrutinized 15 nations saddled with high mortality rates from these illnesses, which together claim over 1.1 million young lives each year. Among these countries, Somalia’s bleak performance on critical healthcare criteria underscores an urgent call for heightened health initiatives to avert these forseeable child fatalities.
While Somalia does manage moderate vaccination levels for some diseases, the overall immunization landscape leaves much to be desired:
- PCV3 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine): Achieved a thin 73% mark, barely surpassing the national average.
- DTP3 (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) and Hib3 (Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccines: Each at 72%.
- MCV1 (measles-containing vaccine) and RotaC (rotavirus vaccine): Both stagnant at 63%.
- Exclusive breastfeeding: Languishes at a meager 48%, flagging a need for bolstered support as a preventive health measure.
- Antibiotics for pneumonia: Limited to troubling 30% coverage.
- ORS (oral rehydration solution) and Zinc for diarrhea: Trail even lower at 27% and 18%, pointing out significant voids in basic treatment provision.
These indicators expose Somalia’s inadequacy in meeting the objectives set by the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhea (GAPPD). This framework endeavors to lower child mortality through combined preventive, protective, and treatment actions, yet Somalia’s GAPPD scores fall starkly short of the global aim of 86%. Clearly, their healthcare delivery mechanisms are fragile.
While nations like India and Nigeria have shown commendable progress by advancing their child health schemes significantly, Somalia finds itself shackled by structural and logistical hurdles. India’s sweeping PCV3 program impressively pushed coverage to 83%, and Nigeria’s strategic uptick in RotaC coverage from 12% to 49% visibly improved child survival rates.
However, Somalia wrestles with its own demons impeding healthcare access—political turmoil, scant funding, and daunting logistical snags. Even available vaccines and treatments fail to reach many children in necessity. This chasm brazenly illustrates the pressing need for global assistance and concerted strategies to address Somalia’s medical service lacuna.
William Moss, who leads the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), accentuated the urgency, stating, “Our 2024 report unravels the strides and unmet needs in thwarting preventable deaths among young kids. Somalia’s low coverage screams a dire need for amplified investment in healthcare infrastructure and steady backing for immunization campaigns.”
The report rings loud and clear—a synchronized approach is critical to mend Somalia’s healthcare inadequacies. It encourages widening the reach of life-saving vaccines, fostering breastfeeding and hygiene practices, and enhancing the availability of pneumonia and diarrhea treatments. Experts assert these strategies are essential to cutting mortality rates and fortifying the nation’s shaky healthcare framework.
The urgency is pronounced as Somalia’s medical system already creaks due to limited resources and enduring conflicts. Health pundits caution that without prompt, consistent tailwind, pneumonia and diarrhea will mercilessly drain thousands of young lives each year, thwarting Somalia’s journey towards global goals aimed at diminishing preventable child deaths.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
