Layla’s journey to vaccinate her son during The Big Catch-up in Somalia

Baidoa, Somalia: Mothers play a critical role in keeping their children safe from diseases outbreaks, especially when it comes to vaccine-preventable diseases. In Somalia, where life can be tough, mothers have always worked hard to protect their families. This is even more challenging for those living in remote areas with little access to health care.  Determined to get their children vaccinated, many mothers travel long distances to reach cities where immunization services are available.

Layla Ali Nur, a 20-year-old mother and pastoralist, is one such example. During the third round of the Big Catch-up initiative on 20 November 2024, she made the 70 km journey on foot, with her son Abdulaziz, from her village of Bulo-Fuur near Qansahdhere to Baidoa, the capital of South West State, to ensure her child received life-saving vaccines.

“In our village, there’s no access to health services including immunization, and I’ve never seen any vaccination service since my son was born. I travelled from Bulo-Fuur to Baidoa to get him vaccinated because it’s the most important thing I can do for his health. Despite the hardships, I’m relieved he received the vaccine he missed,” she says.

When Layla and her son Abdulaziz arrived in Baidoa, they stayed with her extended family members at the Moqor-manyow camp for internally displaced people. The camp is home to thousands of people displaced by droughts and conflicts in South West State. Just two days after their arrival, The Big Catch-up vaccination initiative started. Layla took Abdulaziz to an outreach site at the camp to get him vaccinated for the first time since he was born. It was there that we had the opportunity to meet Layla and hear her story.

“My intention of travelling this long distance was solely to vaccinate my son. Since he had never gotten one, I had no choice but to walk all the way to Baidoa town because I couldn’t afford the transportation costs. My journey between Baidoa and Qansahdhere was tough, and carrying my son on my back for 70 km, made it even harder. The hunger, the thirst and the exhaustion were overwhelming, but in the end, we made it, and I’m grateful to be in Baidoa to protect my child against vaccine-preventable diseases,” Layla says.

The Big Catch-up

In the last few decades, Somali children have suffered recurrent outbreaks of polio, diphtheria, measles, pertussis and neonatal tetanus. These vaccine-preventable diseases persist due to low vaccination rates.

To enhance routine immunization for children, Somalia’s Ministry of Health launched The Big Catch-up on 18 July 2024, as part of a global initiative to boost vaccination among children following declines driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. To implement the initiative, the Somali government is partnering with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and others.

The initiative targets the estimated 1.5 million children below the age of 5 in Somalia who have not completed their vaccination schedules or who have never received vaccines – known as zero-dose children. It also aims to reach adults with COVID-19 and tetanus immunizations.

“The Big Catch-up is more than just a vaccination initiative, it’s an opportunity to protect children in Somalia from vaccine-preventable diseases. With over half a million children reached so far, we are making sure that no child is left behind. Together with the Ministry of Health, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and other partners, we are determined to protect every child, ensuring they grow up healthy and safe,” says Dr Gedi Mohamed, Immunization Coordinator at WHO Somalia.

States in southern and central Somalia have successfully completed the third round of The Big Catch-up, while the northern areas of Somaliland and Puntland are preparing to begin implementation. The turnout has been overwhelming, and through the combined and tireless efforts of the Ministry of Health and its partners, everyone is working tirelessly to ensure that no child is left behind.

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