Somalia faces serious challenges to counter COVID-19

Subject

Challenges facing Somalia's COVID-19 response.

Significance

Decades of civil war and weak governance mean Somalia is one of the least-prepared countries in the world to manage a serious health emergency. However, Somalia's COVID-19 case numbers are now rising far faster than most of its regional peers, amid strong indications that the situation is much worse than statistics suggest.

Impacts

• Somalia also faces floods, a locust plague and a steep fall in remittances, all of which will damage the economy and livelihoods.
• Cases in Somalia could spill over into neighbouring countries already struggling to contain the virus.
• The virus may disproportionately impact over 2 million IDPs who live in close quarters and have little access to testing or healthcare.