SOMALIA: Risk of Disease Outbreaks Heightened With Seasonal Short Rains

November 30, 2014
Mogadishu (RBC)

Over 170,000 health consultations were reported in October from health facilities across Somalia, a 16 per cent increase compared to last month, according to health partners.

As anticipated, the increase followed the start of the short rains when the disease outbreaks usually surge. Of the diseases under surveillance, the leading causes of morbidity were confirmed malaria, suspected measles and acute watery diarrhoea.

Seasonal flooding due to overflow of the Shabelle and Juba rivers has been rep-orted from six regions of Somalia with different levels of severity, according to the Somalia Water and Land Information Management (SWALIM), led by FAO.

An estimated 50,000 people have been aff-ected by the flooding and about 30,000 people hereof have been temporary displaced, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).

Some of the affected people require immediate humanitarian assistance while some could relocate with their belongings, but may have had their livelihoods affected. These people may require livelihoods support.

Areas reportedly hardest hit include Belet Weyne in Hiraan region where about 21,000 people have been affected. As of the second week of November, the flood warning levels reduced from severe to moderate due to reduced rainfall.