Somalia's Health Crisis: Diphtheria Spreads as Vaccines Run Low

Somalia is grappling with a serious diphtheria outbreak. Over 1, 600 cases and 87 deaths have been reported this year alone. This is a big jump from last year's numbers. The situation is made worse by a lack of vaccines and cuts in foreign aid. Diphtheria is a serious illness. It causes swollen glands, trouble breathing, and fever. It mostly affects kids. A vaccine can prevent it. This vaccine has been around since the mid-1900s. But in Somalia, many children still don't get it. One family's story shows the impact. Deka Mohamed Ali's four kids got sick after fleeing violence. None of them had been vaccinated. Her 8-year-old son died. Two other kids are still in the hospital. The health minister says it's hard to get enough vaccines. There's a global shortage. U. S. aid cuts also make it tough to distribute the vaccines they have. The U. S. used to be a big donor. But aid has dropped a lot. Other countries are also cutting aid. This has led to the closure of many health clinics. As a result, cases of diphtheria and other diseases have doubled since April. The Somali government has been criticized for not spending enough on health. Last year, they spent 8. 5% of their budget on health. This year, it's down to 4. 8%. The government plans to launch a vaccination drive. But they haven't given any details yet.