Emergency response combines vaccination, malnutrition screening and Vitamin A supplementation as measles cases rise across Bakool region
Hudur, 09 May— The CaafimaadPlus Consortium has launched an emergency measles vaccination campaign in Wajid and Hudur districts, targeting children aged 6 months to 5 years amid a rapid rise in cases in the area. Running from 10 to 31 May, the campaign is led by Action Against Hunger (ACF), with the Somali government providing supervisory oversight as part of an integrated response.
More than 30 confirmed measles cases have been reported across both districts in recent weeks, prompting the emergency response.
Health workers are going door to door across both districts, delivering measles immunization alongside malnutrition screening, deworming, and Vitamin A supplementation — reaching children directly in their communities rather than requiring families to travel to health facilities, many of which are difficult to access in rural Bakool. Two isolation centres, one each in Hudur and Wajid, have been established to manage confirmed cases and limit further spread.
Measles outbreaks recur frequently in Somalia, driven by chronically low vaccination coverage. National data show that while roughly two-thirds of children receive a first dose of the measles vaccine, coverage for the critical second dose has remained under 5% in recent years — leaving large numbers of children only partially protected and vulnerable when outbreaks emerge. That risk is sharply compounded for children already weakened by malnutrition, who face far higher rates of severe illness and death from the disease. Campaigns like this one are essential to closing that immunity gap before it costs lives.
“We will reach surrounding villages with the vaccine and mobilize community leaders, including religious leaders, to lead the campaign and ensure maximum uptake,” said Hassan Adan, Health and Nutrition Project Manager for Action Against Hunger.
Vaccines have already been prepositioned at the supply hub. The campaign targets approximately 11,000 children, with early demand suggesting the final number reached may exceed that target.
This response is funded by the European Union Humanitarian Aid (EU ECHO). As outbreaks continue to test Somalia’s health system, sustained funding of this kind remains essential to closing immunization gaps and preventing the kind of large-scale, life-threatening outbreaks that continue to put children at risk.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Ahmed Issack Hussein
Communication and Advocacy Coordinator, Caafimaadplus Consortium
Email: aihussein@so-actionagainsthunger.org
