One year of COVID-19 in Somalia and the arrival of first vaccine shipment through COVAX

Mogadishu, 16 March 2020 – One year after the first case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was officially confirmed in Somalia, the Federal and State Governments of Somalia, in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO), and other United Nations partners, are reflecting on the lives lost to the disease, while taking stock of crucial lessons learned, and huge strides made as the health system prepares to recover from the devastating impact of COVID-19.   

Somalia is currently experiencing a new surge of COVID-19 cases: as of 14 March 2021, 9190 COVID-19 cases, including 367 associated deaths, were reported by the country. The current wave of COVID-19 is the worst since May-June last year, when the country experienced a possible peak after the first few laboratory-confirmed cases – which were all travel-associated – triggered community transmission across all parts of the country.

In the last 12 months, WHO spearheaded the battle against COVID-19 in Somalia, working in tandem with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), World Food Programme (WFP) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) among other partners. 

“While we have been reflecting on how families have been affected socially and economically by COVID-19 in Somalia, we also commend the Government’s active response to it. Our response was mounted with speed and scale – from procuring the first batch of life-saving vaccines from the COVAX Facility in record time, to ensuring essential health services resumed and scaled up. We have worked on developing the capacity of the health workforce in the country to use evidence and science to operationalize the response, and build and strengthen the effective functioning of health institutions,” said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative for Somalia.

In the last year, WHO’s work in Somalia for COVID-19 response is reflected by these numbers:

• 3 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based laboratories were set up in record time in Mogadishu, Hargeisa and Garowe for COVID-19 testing, as there was no testing capacity in-country. 
• 73 rapid response teams were deployed for COVID-19 case investigation, alert verification and sample collection.
• 7343 health workers were trained in COVID-19 surveillance, case management and risk communication.
• 3327 community health workers were deployed for door-to-door visits for case finding and contact tracing as well as to disseminate public health and risk communication measure. 
• 4.57 million households were visited to search for COVID-19 cases and contact tracing.
• 122 166 suspected cases were investigated and tested for COVID-19.
• 4422 COVID-19 samples were transported from inaccessible areas for testing.
• 19 isolation centres were supported for patient care per month, although not all were used every month.
• 694 health facilities were provided support through the Early Warning Alert and Response Network for early detection, investigation and response to COVID-19. 
• 76 oxygen concentrators and three solar-powered oxygen systems were provided to/installed in health facilities. 

In continued efforts to turn the tide against COVID-19, in 2021, WHO and UNICEF also supported the Government to secure 1.2 million doses of the Oxford-Astra-Zeneca vaccine to vaccinate frontline workers, the elderly population and people with chronic health conditions, who comprise 3% of the population. In phases, the country is expected to receive additional vaccines to cover 20% of its population.  

On 15 March 2021, Somalia received 300 000 doses of the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine, supplied by the COVAX Facility, as part of a first phase to protect frontline workers and elderly people with chronic health conditions.    

As the country prepares to roll out the COVAX vaccines with cautious optimism that ending the pandemic from the country is now possible, WHO reflects on its work in the last 12 months, particularly on health system recovery. These continued efforts will include scaling up the availability of medical oxygen; investing in the health workforce in support of the International Year of Health and Care Workers; and boosting immunization efforts to protect children from life-threatening diseases. 

“At this point, once again, we would like to laud health workers for their role in the fight against COVID-19,” said Dr Malik. “In the last year, 42% of all confirmed COVID-19 cases reported by the country were detected by community health workers who were trained and deployed by WHO in high-risk areas. We would also like to thank our donors for their untiring support, which is paving the path for a robust recovery of the health system in Somalia following COVID-19.”

WHO’s operational response to COVID-19 is supported by: 

• Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
• German Humanitarian Assistance
• Global Affairs Canada
• The African Development Bank
• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
• The COVAX Facility 
• The European Union Delegation to Somalia (EU) and European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO)
• The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
• The Global Fund 
• The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)
• The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
• The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
• The World Bank - Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) 

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