Home / Health / Vaccine Gaps Fuel Deadly Diphtheria Surge in Somalia
Vaccine Gaps Fuel Deadly Diphtheria Surge in Somalia
19 Aug
Summary
- Diphtheria cases rapidly increasing across Somalia
- Children account for over 97% of cases
- Deaths have risen from 13 to 42 in recent months
As of August 19th, 2025, Somalia is facing a rapidly escalating diphtheria outbreak, with the number of recorded cases increasing dramatically across the country. According to the director of Demartino public hospital in Mogadishu, the capital, the hospital has seen a staggering rise in diphtheria patients, from just 49 cases in 2024 to 497 in the last four months of 2025 alone.
The situation has become increasingly dire, with the death toll from the disease rising from 13 to 42 in recent months. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the medical charity, has sounded the alarm, attributing the resurgence of diphtheria to low vaccination coverage and poor living conditions in the country. MSF's Somalia medical coordinator, Frida Athanassiadis, stated that children under 15 account for roughly 97% of the cases, underscoring the devastating impact on the country's youth.
The health ministry has reported 1,616 diphtheria cases and 87 deaths so far in 2025, a concerning trend that has been exacerbated by the lack of resources in some medical centers to cope with the rising caseloads. MSF has also noted that their initial emergency stock of the necessary antitoxin has been exhausted, with the health ministry and World Health Organization now working to distribute the limited available supply.
