somalia

Background

Security in Somalia has deteriorated drastically since 2008, where the Ethiopian backed Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG)  and the insurgents of the Al-Shabaab group and the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) have continued fighting in the south central zone (SCZ) of Somalia, displacing over one million within Somalia and forcing hundreds of thousands to seek refugee in neighbouring countries: Ethiopia, Djibouti, Yemen and Kenya.  Continued violence and fractioning along clan lines have made operations for humanitarian aid an overall challenge.  International Aid workers have been evacuated from the country as they are seen has viable targets for kidnappings and ransoms, as well as seen as supporters of the TFG. An increasing number of humanitarian workers have been killed, abducted and their vehicles hijacked.

In addition to the violence, Somalis have also had to contend with climactic disasters: drought and floods, which are compounded by massive population displacements. These factors have all contributed to the challenges of controlling the burden of malaria on the population. In Somalia, the low malaria transmission in both Somaliland and Puntland means the populations in those areas are at risk of malaria epidemics or outbreaks, while malaria transmission in SCZ is highly variable in time and space with prevalence ranging between 0-17% and malaria risk increasing immediately adjacent to the Juba and Shabelle rivers. Seasonal floods, rains and flash floods lead to malaria outbreaks in those areas and the districts neighbouring major river networks.