(29 April 2024) MOGADISHU (Halqabsi News) — As the world marks the 50th anniversary of the Essential Programme for Immunization, Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Health, alongside the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has called for intensified efforts to ensure every child in Somalia receives vaccinations. The call was made during this year’s World Immunisation Week, emphasising the significant progress made since 1978 despite facing challenges like the continuous spread of polio and recurrent outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
During a press conference in Mogadishu, Health Minister Dr Ali Haji Adam Abubakar highlighted that Somalia, once boasting a leading immunisation programme in the region, now struggles with a health system fragmented and debilitated by prolonged conflict. This year’s theme, “Humanly Possible,” reinforces the commitment to combat child mortality with the introduction of new vaccines such as the Pneumococcal Conjugate and Rotavirus vaccines.
The event also underscored the ongoing challenges, including the large number of unvaccinated children and the need for expanded resources to tackle health system deficiencies. Dr. Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, WHO Representative to Somalia, underscored the need for an integrated approach to improve health services and support Somalia’s drive towards universal health coverage, reminding all stakeholders of the critical role vaccines play in public health and child survival.
Halqabsi News
