Somalia

Allocation	$1,999,315
Emergency type	Cholera
Window	Rapid Response
Recipient UN Agencies	UNICEF, WHO
Group(s) of people targeted	Host communities, Internally displaced persons
Number of people targeted	45,000
Status	Under Implementation
Allocation code	24-RR-SOM-64580
Title	Somalia RR Application Apr 2024 (Cholera)

Overview of the humanitarian situation

The residual effects of the historic drought crisis during the 3-year La Niña event, combined with once-in-a-century floods induced by El Niño, have led to water scarcity and significant outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea (AWD) and cholera. From January to April 2024, 6,605 cases and 75 deaths were recorded across four states, with 731 new cases and 6 deaths reported in the last week of March alone. The national case fataility rate (CFR) stands at 1.1%, surpassing the WHO’s 1% emergency threshold, with certain districts reporting higher CFRs, notably Kuntunwarey (4.8%), Bulo Burte (4.4%), and Bossaso (4.8%). Children face heightened risk due to widespread malnutrition exacerbated by inadequate access to clean water and sanitation. The outbreak, driven by factors such as open defecation, poorly maintained latrines, and inadequate sanitation, has been exacerbated by the destruction of WASH facilities during the Deyr rainy season and El Niño-induced floods. The onset of the Gu rains in early April is likely to expand transmission into previously unaffected regions, highlighting an urgent need to strengthen response efforts to manage and mitigate this escalating health crisis, threatening up to 1.2 million people in 2024.

CERF-funded assistance

This $2 million CERF allocation provides critically needed resources to enable UN agencies and their partners to respond to the cholera outbreak, not only to save lives but also mitigate the spread of cholera to surrounding communities and within the region. This allocation provides life-saving assistance to 45,000 highly vulnerable people in the districts of Bossaso, Garowe, Beletweyn, Jowhar, Kismayo, and Banadir. The proposed Health response includes investigation and surveillance activities, case management, laboratory testing, Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and vaccinations.

Projects included in this allocation

Organization	Project title	Code	Amount in US$
UNICEF	Emergency response to support 45,000 people affected by acute watery diarrhoea (AWD)/Cholera in Puntland and Central South Region of Somalia	24-RR-CEF-022	US$1,427,369	Read more
WHO	Rapid response to contain cholera outbreak in Somaliland, Puntland, Central and Southern States of Somalia	24-RR-WHO-013	US$571,946	Read more