Vaccines are saving millions of lives of children in Somalia: urgent need to scale up routine immunization programme (07.05.2019)

Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful and cost-effective public health interventions.

GENEVA, Switzerland, May 7, 2019 – From the moment we’re born, we’re all at risk of contracting diseases. So the question is, are we aware enough? Are we responsible enough? Are we immune enough? Not long ago infections like influenza, tetanus, chickenpox and measles were prolonged, painful illnesses, which often resulted in death. Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful and cost-effective public health interventions.

The Expanded Programmme on Immunization (EPI) started in Somalia in 1978 with the support of WHO and UNICEF. Due to the prolonged conflict and instability Somalia’s health system, including immunization services, is very weak, fragmented and severely under-funded. Control of vaccine-preventable diseases remains a huge challenge in Somalia, due to the low routine immunization coverage and the continued inability to reach children in security-compromised areas, hard-to-reach areas, nomadic children and competing health priorities for parents other than immunization of children. Low routine immunization coverage and a history of serious outbreaks that have hit Somalia in the past are a strong reminder of the risks posed by large cohort of un-immunized children. Vaccine-preventable diseases are prevalent in Somalia and child mortality is 137 per 1000 live births.

Somalia has been providing the traditional 6 antigens in routine immunization and with the support of GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance and immunization partners like UNICEF and WHO. The country has introduced pentavalent vaccine in 2013 and inactivated polio virus vaccine in 2015 and plans to introduce measles-containing-vaccine second-dose (MCV2) in 2020. With the continuous support of GAVI, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Rotary International and other important donors immunization coverage has improved in recent years; however, Somalia has still not attained the desired levels of coverage.

To improve immunization coverage more efforts needs to be in place for integrated approach along with other programmes like nutrition, malaria, water and sanitation and communication programmes to complement the reach of immunization and improve coverage of all eligible children with equity.

Somalia faced a deadly measles outbreak in 2017; out of the 31 000 people affected, 83% were children under the age of 10. WHO Somalia’s Emergency Response team, Somali national authorities, and partners targeted 4.7 million children in the nationwide measles campaign. During this intervention, around 4.5 million children were vaccinated. As a result of the nationwide immunization campaign conducted, as of April 2019, Somalia witnessed a decline in the trend of cases reported this year. This steady progress can be attributed to partners’ commitment to strengthen routine immunization and to reach out to unvaccinated children to boost their immunity. However, Somalia’s children are still not out of danger – measles outbreaks are likely to spread in security-compromised inaccessible areas.

Somalia’s last outbreak of wild poliovirus, which occurred from 2013 to 2014, affected 194 children. Since then, as a result of mass and more focused immunization campaigns, and robust surveillance for polio symptoms to guide immunization activities, the country has been free of wild poliovirus. However, due to the challenges faced in reaching hard-to-reach areas, the country is currently experiencing 2 outbreaks of rare strains of the poliovirus, which have affected 13 children so far. The last nationwide polio campaign, conducted in March, vaccinated more than 2.7 million children under 5. More than 84 000 children were vaccinated for the first time.

Marked during the last week of April, World Immunization Week aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. WHO wants to assure parents and communities in Somalia that vaccines are safe, effective, and can lead to lifetime immunity from diseases.

While celebrating World Immunization Week with the theme “Protected Together: Vaccines Work”, Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative for Somalia, called for scaling up the routine immunization programme in Somalia through working together with partners, communities and grass-root level organization. In 2018, Somali authorities, WHO and partners vaccinated more than 400 000 children against measles as part of routine immunization programme. Yet, about 170 000 children were missed or did not receive the first dose of measles vaccine last year. “Our priority is to reach out to all these children who misses the routine vaccine doses or remain unvaccinated owing to access or any other barrier. Leaving no child behind, we can ensure every child’s right to lead a healthy and productive life- if all who need to vaccinated are vaccinated in a timely way,” he stated.

In the last decade, Somali health authorities and WHO worked with Gavi and other key partners to strengthen routine immunization. This protected 2.4m children against 8 vaccine-preventable childhood diseases.

Somalia has shown remarkable progress in achieving good immunization coverage for some diseases that is realistically feasible to achieve in a fragile state, lot of works still need to be continued and scaled up to fill the immunization gaps through enhancing partnerships with other local stakeholders which is the key theme of this year’s World Immunization Week. Responding to outbreaks of measles or polio is a priority but can be prevented through achieving high coverage in routine immunization programme and also by reaching out to the children who do not receive any vaccine during the first year of their life.

Despite the gains made by vaccination over the years, there are still unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children in Somalia today. As a consequence, millions of children are being put at risk against vaccine-preventable diseases. As part of this year’s campaign, grass-root level vaccinators who spearhead all barriers to reach every child in inaccessible areas of the country were honoured as immunization heroes. Their roles in keeping children healthy and securing a safer future has been acknowledged throughout the country.

Somalia: Early warning signs of severe drought and a major humanitarian crisis (DG ECHO, OCHA, FAO, WFP, IGAD) (ECHO Daily Flash of 27 April 2019)

  • “Analyses show that rainfall levels through mid-April will likely be amongst the driest on record (since 1981)…” (IGAD, 17/4/2019). Current conditions are worse than in the same period of 2017 and are only surpassed by the drought of 2011. Much of the Somali population affected in the 2017/18 drought has had no opportunity to recover.
  • Significant deficit in 2019 Gu rainfall is forecasted to continue in May, already resulting in water shortages, increased commodity prices, deterioration of livestock and agropastoral conditions, and displacement of people.
  • Food security situation and nutrition outlook are deteriorating, particularly in northern and central Somalia. 4.9 million Somalis are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, of which 1.5 million are in acute food insecurity. Should the forecasted deficit in rainfall persevere, the number of people in need of immediate assistance is expected to dramatically increase through 2019. Early action is needed to avert food security and nutrition crisis by scaling up immediate life-saving assistance. However, only 15% of the needs defined in the 2019 humanitarian response plan (HRP) seeking USD 1.08 billion are currently funded.

Somalia: Jubaland Council for Change – Jubaland Election Dilemma and Current Trends (16.04.2019)

Opinion: Ilhan Omar deserves credit not scrutiny!

But the reason I think that many of us knew that this was going to get worse is that we finally had a leader in the White House who publicly says Islam hates us, who fuels hate against Muslims, who thinks it is OK to speak about a faith and a whole community in a way that is dehumanizing, vilifying” (…) “Some people like me know that he understands the consequences. He knows that there are people that he can influence to threaten our lives, to diminish our presence” – Rep. Ilhan Omar on the 10th April 2019

U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar is one of the persons, one of the representatives that represents everything the President of United States isn’t. She represent the ones who came through poverty, immigrated and made a new life in the United States. That is why she is idol and also a figure of amassed power. Because, she is the living proof of the hope and ability of immigrants and refugees in the United States. Everything, this administration is working against and wants to stop.

Rep. Omar has again and again since her time in office, as a Representative from Minnesota. Shown character and courage. Shown force when explaining the misuse of power and the lack of oversight in the role of Israeli investment and diplomatic unity between the American Government and Israeli counterparts. That was called anti-Semitism, when it was really just questioning the powers to be and their affiliation with a foreign force. Still, because of her personality, her religion and her heritage. That became giant issue.

Again, she is under-fire for the same reason. Because of who she is, not because of what she stands for or working towards. No, the political work and her statements are shining examples of the American Dream, of the unity and the diversity of the United States. However, the President and the Republican Party, prefer scaremongering and silencing tactic towards the ones who works for diverse republic. The ones that is actually working for the what the Republic has been known for, to be welcoming and friendly to all religions, creeds and ethnic groups to immigrate there.

She was stating all of this in a manner that wasn’t offensive, wasn’t wrong, but just wanting the United States, to be what it is known for. To let people enter the Republic and try to achieve the American Dream. By following immigration law or the rights as asylum-seekers. That is well-known.

Rep. Omar is an inspiration and someone that gives hope to the world. People are taking things out of context and beating it up. Because she fits as someone you can use as a target. The President and the GOP does it steady with her. Especially since she got the courage to co-sponsor a bill, which attacks and directly stops one of the big executive orders of this presidency. That is why they are attacking her, because she defends the end of the Muslim Ban and the direct ban of entering of certain nationalities.

There is time for a change, there is a time for the equality and justice, not just white supremacy rule, where the fringe ideas became policy. That is what has happen and now that the democrats have control of the House. The Republicans and their control of the Capitol Hill is challenged and sometimes can even hang the Congress.

I’ll stand by Ilhan Omar and her cause, which will change the United States for the better. Peace.

Somaliland: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation – Press Release – Statement Regarding IGAD’s Establishment of a Taskforce on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden (08.04.2019)

Somalia: Mayor of Mogadishu and Governor of Basadir – “Re: Appointment of Director of Regional Security Office (DRSO) and support staff” (04.04.2019)

Humanitarian funds release US$45.7 million for life-saving assistance in Somalia (02.04.2019)

Despite improvements in the humanitarian situation in 2018, the food security situation in Somalia has deteriorated.

NEW YORK, United States of America, April 2, 2019 – The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) released a combined US$45.7 million today to scale up life-saving assistance in Somalia, where over 4.2 million people need urgent humanitarian assistance this year, including 900,000 acutely malnourished children.

“These allocations will enable humanitarian agencies in Somalia to deliver urgently needed food, clean water, health care and education support in the shortest possible time in areas where needs are the highest,” said Mark Lowcock, Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. “We will prioritise delivery to children, women, the elderly, and people living with disabilities, who have suffered terribly as drought and conflict continue to drive the crisis in Somalia.” The $12-million CERF allocation will boost the response in the worst affected parts of northern Somalia, where 823,000 people are facing severe food insecurity. The funds will be used for food assistance in Awdal and Woqooyi Galbeed regions, and nutrition, health, and water and sanitation and hygiene programmes in Sool, Sanaag and Bari regions.

The $33.7 million SHF allocation will scale up protection, education and shelter support in northern Somalia, and other life-saving activities in central and southern Somalia. Most of the funding will go to national and international non-governmental organizations, while $700,000 will go to the UN Humanitarian Air Service, which helps move essential humanitarian goods and personnel.

“Support from CERF and the SHF will enable aid organizations to scale up and sustain life-saving assistance in the worst-affected areas in the country as the Jilaal (dry season) persists,” said George Conway, the acting Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. “This allocation is critical, but further generous donor funding will be needed to sustain aid operations and support recovery across Somalia.” The SHF allocation is the largest since 2012 and would not have been possible without early donor support. Germany has been the top donor to the Fund since 2017; other top donors are Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Despite improvements in the humanitarian situation in 2018, the food security situation in Somalia has deteriorated, particularly in the north, and in some central parts of the country due to poor Deyr seasonal rains, the lingering effects of the 2016/2017 drought, conflict, displacement and evictions. The number of people facing acute food insecurity or worse has remained at 1.5 million since last year, but with a geographical shift in needs towards northern Somalia. Overall, 4.9 million Somalis are estimated to be food insecure.

The 2019 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan, seeking $1.08 billion, is only 12 per cent funded to date. With conflict, displacement and climatic shocks persistently causing high levels of humanitarian and protection concerns, life-saving assistance must be sustained alongside livelihood support.

IGAD: Kampala Declaration on Jobs, Livelihoods and Self-Reliance for Refugees, Returnees and Host Communities in the IGAD Region 28th March 2019, Kampala, Uganda (28.03.2019)

Somalia: Hormuud Telecom – Press Release (27.03.2019)

Opinion: Threat of a closure of the Dadaab Refugee Camp – Is it a bargaining chip?

This is not the first time the Kenyan Government have claimed they want to close the Kakuma and Dadaab Refugee Camp. That has been done before, they did this in May and June 2016. Even the Federal Republic of Somalia was worried at one point, that the refugees would suddenly return after the notification of the closure back then. Suddenly late in August 2016, the U.S. Government suddenly dropped more money on the Refugee Camps. Than, it became silence and no problem hosting them. The same happen with the European Union in 2017 and certainly, the same government hopes in happens in 2019. However, don’t be surprised, if someone get hooked on the bait.

Because in August 2016, the US Administration stated this:

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, August 23, 2016 – Today, Secretary of State John Kerry announced in Nairobi that the United States is providing more than $146 million in additional U.S. humanitarian assistance to support refugees, voluntary returnees, and drought victims in Kenya and Somalia. This new funding includes a significant new contribution of more than $59 million for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to protect and assist refugees in Kenya, and support voluntary refugee returns to Somalia. In addition, the funding includes new humanitarian assistance of more than $87 million in food and non-food support for refugees and drought victims in Kenya and Somalia. This announcement brings the total of U.S. humanitarian assistance in Kenya and Somalia to nearly $265 million in fiscal year 2016” (U.S. Department of State – ‘Additional Funding for Kenya and Somalia’ (23.08.2016)

The next year in 2017, in February the High Court of Kenya even blocked the Closure of the Refugee Camp. Even the European Parliament in May 2017 adopted a text on the Camp stating this:

whereas the EU has allocated EUR 286 million through the European Development Fund (EDF) for the period 2014-2020, focusing on the implementation of the ‘Compact’ and on state and peace building, food security, resilience and education in particular; whereas the EU Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa was signed at the Valletta Summit on 12 November 2015 and was designed to address the root causes of destabilisation, forced displacement and irregular migration by promoting resilience, economic opportunities, equal opportunities, security and development; whereas the EU is responding to the lifesaving basic needs of refugees hosted in Kenyan refugee camps” (EU, 18.05.2017).

Why do I post these old statements on extra added funding for the Refugee Camps in Kenya. Well, the Kenyan Government is now known for having notified the UNHCR, that they would close the Dadaab Refugee Camp and not do it. Because, it is one solution and we all know why they do this. The refugee camps are bargain chips for more funding. This is what they do. It is not the first time and not the last.  

This is also the knowledge of the Kenyan Government, that is why they can force again the rich Western Countries, the well-wishing, not-to-friendly wealthy benefactors for own personal benefit. So, they can pay a higher price and drop more jewels on the Refugee Camp. Because, that solves the problem at home and also keeps it going as it has been.

That is why the Kenyan government in the hour of need, in their mercy for some foreign exchange can expose their greed. Notify of the closure of the Refugee Camp. To ensure, that the Western Partners, the ones who donates aid, actually gives them some more. To keep the 30 year old venture up and also pay-off the cronies in Nairobi. Which also needs part of the stake in the Aid Business. They don’t want to skimped out of the well deserved funds for hosting these people.

That is why the same government have tried this trick in 2016, 2017 and now returns to the old venture of skimming money out a refugee problem, again in 2019. We could lie and say, they are really need in more funds and in dire need for such, and such. But then, we would kid ourselves and also the general public.

There are always need for more programs, better food and more possibilities for the ones staying a place Dadaab, but that is not the reason why the Kenyan government did notify the UNHCR. They are hungry and want to eat. It is their turn to eat. That is why the smelled the empty plates and want their UNGA too. Peace.