Somalia Launches Mass Vaccination Drive Targeting 3.1 Million Children

Somalia initiated a nationwide immunization campaign on Monday, aiming to protect over 3.1 million children under five from measles, polio, and pneumonia, Anadolu Agency reported. The week-long effort, led by the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with Somali authorities and supported by GAVI, seeks to curb preventable diseases in a country grappling with chronic health system challenges.

Despite Somalia’s polio-free status since 2014 (mirroring Africa’s 2020 certification), conflict, climate shocks, and weak infrastructure persist as barriers to vaccine access. The WHO flagged parts of Somalia as high-risk “consequential geographies” due to overcrowding, instability, and fragile healthcare networks that heighten polio resurgence risks.

The campaign builds on recent progress: In April, Somalia integrated pneumococcal (PCV) and rotavirus vaccines into its routine immunization program to combat pneumonia and diarrhoea—two leading causes of child mortality. This coordinated push marks a critical step toward reducing deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases, which disproportionately affect Somali children.