An estimated 71,000 people died between January 2022 and June 2024 due to the drought that hit large parts of Somalia in 2022, according to a report released Wednesday in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
The report, released by the Somali Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), found that about 40 percent of the deaths involved children under the age of five.
The study, titled “From Insights to Action: Updating Mortality Patterns in Somalia,” notes that most deaths occurred in the southern and central regions of the country, while the northeastern regions had relatively low mortality despite high food insecurity.
The report offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of drought on population mortality over a 30-month period, which includes the 2022 drought that affected 7.9 million people, almost half of Somalia’s population, and brought the country to the brink of famine.
UNICEF Somalia Representative Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef emphasized the serious and long-term impact of climate change on vulnerable Somali families.
“Given the recurring nature of climate change crises, we must also increase investment in community resilience to future shocks, predictable actions and prevention of disease outbreaks,” Saeed said.
Somalia’s Minister of Health and Social Services Ali Hadji Adam Abubakar said that the ministry is focusing on building a strong health system as the foundation for a healthy and successful Somali society.
WHO Representative in Somalia Reinhilde Van de Weerdt said the deaths of more than 70,000 people, most of them children, were a stark reminder of the urgent need for continued support and resilience-building efforts.
“It also highlights the critical importance of strengthening Somalia’s health emergency prevention, preparedness, preparedness and resilience system to effectively respond to emergencies and provide sustained care to people in need,” she said.
