Mogadishu, Jan 22 (IANS): An estimated 71,000 people may have died between January 2022 and June 2024 due to the devastating drought that affected large parts of Somalia in 2022, according to a report released Wednesday in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.
The report, launched by Somalia's Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), revealed that about 40 per cent of these "excess" deaths were children under the age of five.
The study, titled "From Insight to Action: An Update on Mortality Patterns in Somalia," noted that most of the excess deaths occurred in the south-central regions of the country, while the northeast regions experienced relatively low mortality despite high food insecurity.
This report offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of droughts on population mortality over a 30-month period, which includes the 2022 drought that affected 7.9 million people, nearly half of Somalia's population, and brought the nation to the brink of famine.
UNICEF Representative in Somalia Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef emphasised the severe and lasting impact of climate change on vulnerable Somali families.
"Given the recurring nature of climate-induced crises, we must also scale up investments in community resilience to future shocks, anticipatory action, and prevention of disease outbreaks," Saeed said.
She said as resources to address humanitarian needs have become more limited, both the government and its partners must continue to explore innovative ways to expand access to life-saving services such as health, nutrition, water, and sanitation, Xinhua news agency reported.
Minister of Health and Human Services of Somalia Ali Hadji Adam Abubakar said that the ministry focuses on building a robust health system as the foundation for a healthy and thriving Somali society. "At the heart of this approach is delivering health and nutrition services in an integrated manner, at the lowest unit of the health delivery chain, and in a way that gives priority to vulnerable children and women," Adam said.
WHO Representative in Somalia Reinhilde Van de Weerdt said the deaths of more than 70,000 people, mostly children, are a stark reminder of the urgent need for continued support and resilience-building efforts.
"This also underlines the critical importance of strengthening Somalia's health emergency prevention, preparedness, readiness, and resilience system to effectively respond to emergencies and provide sustained care for people in need," she said.