In Somalia, recent months have seen 54 fatalities caused by cholera. The highest number of deaths in a single week this year, totaling nine, was reported by Save the Children, a humanitarian organization.

During a VOA Somali interview, Mohamed Abdulkadir, the acting director of operations for Save the Children Somalia, mentioned that the statistic reveals the high risk that children face from this deadly disease.

Abdulkadir stated that Save the Children, in partnership with Somalia’s Ministry of Health and Human Services, discovered that out of 4,388 confirmed cases in 2024, 59% were children under the age of five.

Over the past two weeks, Mogadishu, the capital of the country, has seen a significant increase in reported cases of cholera in the southern states.

According to Abdulkadir, 586 new cases have been reported in a total of 23 districts, and a majority of them (331) have affected children under the age of five.

The outbreak, which began in January of this year, is believed to be a direct consequence of severe flooding that occurred in October and November 2023.

Abdulkadir stated that the outbreak of the disease is believed to be linked to the severe flooding in cities such as Mogadishu, Beledweyne, and Baidoa.

According to him, Save the Children is urging local governments and health organizations to take immediate action to address the rapid spread of cholera.

The speaker stated that we urge the Somali federal government and local authorities to take action against this extremely infectious illness. It primarily transmits through unclean water sources and areas with insufficient sewage management, as well as flooded regions.

He stated that individuals without access to safe drinking water are highly vulnerable to the spread of cholera, especially in the aftermath of a flood.

He stated that Save the Children is taking action to stop the spread of the illness by enacting an emergency response plan. The organization is creating two facilities for treating cholera, distributing crucial hygiene kits, and supplying materials for treating water in Beledweyne.

Abdulkadir stressed the seriousness of the situation, emphasizing that Somalia is leading the way in experiencing the effects of the climate crisis.

“The relentless rainfall, flooding, and severe drought have made children and families highly susceptible to illness,” he explained. He emphasized the importance of providing clean drinking water and sanitation services to prevent the cholera outbreak from worsening as the rainy season approaches in a month.

In 2023, Somalia saw an increase of over 18,300 cholera cases, with 10,000 of them impacting children under five years old. Save the Children and the Somali government attributed this sharp rise to the damaging El Nino flooding in November and December, which destroyed bathroom facilities. As a result, many communities, especially those displaced by flooding and conflicts, were forced to resort to using open areas for defecation.