Somalia is one of the most fragile and vulnerable countries in Africa and has suffered protracted conflicts, longstanding war and political instability, all of which have weakened the health system in the country. Somalia has different, and sometimes complex political entities, bringing another layer of complexity and operating environment to the work of WHO in the country. WHO often acts as a bridge between the federal government and Somaliland for promoting health and well-being. Inaccessibility of some areas of the country, as well as compromised security compounds the challenges faced by WHO in terms of delivering health services in these underserved areas. Additionally, Somalia has gone through several complex humanitarian emergencies in the recent past, including drought, flood and famine, as well as several infectious disease outbreaks such as polio, cholera and measles. Given the fragile and weak health system in the country, Somalia has struggled to contain and effectively respond to the toll of the COVID-19 outbreak on its own.
