Children Most Affected
Somalia is facing a sharp increase in diphtheria infections, with children making up more than 97% of all reported cases. The bacterial illness, both highly infectious and deadly, is preventable through vaccines but continues to spread due to low coverage.
Hospitals Seeing Rising Admissions
Dr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed, director of Demartino public hospital in Mogadishu, said the country has seen a dramatic rise. “Last year we treated 49 patients, but in just four months of 2025 we admitted 497,” he explained. Deaths have also grown, jumping from 13 in 2024 to 42 this year.
Official Reports Highlight Severity
The Somali health ministry has confirmed 1,616 cases and 87 deaths so far in 2025. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) blamed the increase on gaps in immunisation, reluctance to vaccinate, and harsh living conditions, particularly in central regions.
Medical Supplies Running Low
According to MSF’s Somalia medical coordinator, Frida Athanassiadis, many clinics lack adequate resources to deal with the surge. Stocks of diphtheria antitoxin have already run out, with the health ministry and World Health Organization working to distribute what little remains.
Other Outbreaks Worsening
Save the Children reported in July that cases of vaccine-preventable illnesses such as measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, and cholera had doubled in three months, from about 22,600 to more than 46,000. Nearly 60% were children under five. The organisation linked the rise to funding cuts that disrupted vaccination drives and weakened the health system.
Public Fear Growing
Residents in Mogadishu describe the outbreak as deeply worrying. “In my area, many children are ill and some are in hospital,” said Abdiwahid Ali. Another local, shopkeeper Anab Hassan, added: “A friend’s five-year-old daughter died of diphtheria. Others say their children are sick every day. It is very concerning.”
