A study published by the Somali Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and UNICEF said on Monday that the drought in Somalia could cause 135 deaths per day in the first six months of 2023.
These extreme weather conditions could have caused 43,000 “additional deaths” in 2022 compared to 2017 while noting that half of the victims are children under five.
In 2017, more than 6 million people in Somalia needed help due to drought, but humanitarian actions prevented a famine.
WHO’s representative in Somalia, Mamunur Rahman Malik said there is a need to mobilize to prevent deaths and save lives.