MUQDISHO (KAAB TV )- Somalia has made significant progress in the fight against malaria, reducing the prevalence of the disease from 20.1% in 2015 to 4.1% in 2023 in the most affected areas, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
This success, WHO said, was realized through the implementation of “an integrated disease response led by the Federal Ministry of Health of Somalia, with important support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and financial support from the International Fund.” Somalia has made significant progress in the fight against malaria, reducing the prevalence of the disease from 20.1% in 2015 to 4.1% in 2023 in the most affected areas, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
This success, WHO said, was realized through the implementation of “an integrated disease response led by the Federal Ministry of Health of Somalia, with important support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and financial support from the International Fund.”
According to the National Malaria Control Programme, Somalia’s malaria programme has successfully decreased the disease rate to 3.4% by 2022 using a comprehensive approach that encompasses prevention, suppression, and complementary interventions. However, the minor increase in incidence to 4% in 2023 can be linked to the country’s drought and flood problems.
On World Malaria Day 2024, Dr. Sagal Roble of the Federal Government’s Ministry of Health commended the partnering organisations and donors for their vital contributions to Somalia’s malaria control efforts. She emphasised the importance of continuing help fight developing malaria and maintain the progress gained in controlling this illness throughout Somalia.
Somalia faced issues in 2023 with the discovery of a new kind of malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which is difficult to detect using traditional fast diagnostic procedures. Furthermore, the introduction of a new urban malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi, has been documented in various areas, complicating malaria control efforts.
The country’s climate dynamics, including droughts and El Niño, have led to fast variations in temperature, precipitation, and humidity. These environmental changes have the potential to increase malaria transmission geographically or to give rise to new strains of the disease.
Somalia’s different populations, including nomadic communities, internally displaced persons, and migrants from neighboring countries such as Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Yemen, create obstacles to disease control. Overcrowding, restricted access to health care, and a lack of understanding all contribute to the development of diseases like malaria.
Dr. Jamal Amran, WHO Somalia Malaria Coordinator, emphasised the importance of remaining vigilant for novel malaria strains as well as the persistent impact of insecurity and climate change on the country’s health outcomes.
Somalia’s different populations, including nomadic communities, internally displaced persons, and migrants from neighboring countries such as Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Yemen, create obstacles to disease control. Overcrowding, restricted access to health care, and a lack of understanding all contribute to the development of diseases like malaria.
Dr. Jamal Amran, WHO Somalia Malaria Coordinator, emphasised the importance of remaining vigilant for novel malaria strains as well as the persistent impact of insecurity and climate change on the country’s health outcomes.