How vaccine access is protecting children in Somaliland

Across Somaliland, many families in remote communities face similar barriers. Long distances, limited infrastructure, and shortages of essential medical supplies make healthcare difficult to access. Too often, children miss routine vaccinations, leaving them at risk of preventable diseases.

“When children miss routine vaccinations, diseases that can be prevented through vaccination spread more easily, putting lives and communities at risk,” says Dr. Abdikadir Ore, CARE Somalia’s senior health and nutrition advisor.

For decades, routine immunization coverage in Somalia was below 50 percent, meaning that fewer than half of Somalis were protected against a wide variety of preventable illnesses. Ongoing conflict, displacement, lack of access to vaccines, and disrupted healthcare infrastructure had led to Somalia having some of the lowest vaccination rates in the world. In 2019, more than 1.5 million Somali children under the age of five had never received any vaccination at all.

The consequences have been significant. By mid-June 2026, Somaliland’s Ministry of Health had recorded more than 1,600 cases of measles, a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus. At least eight people have died from the outbreak so far, underscoring the importance of timely access to routine immunization.

A major vaccination initiative called “the Big Catch-Up” was launched in 2022 by the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services in collaboration with UNICEF and WHO. By July 2025, the initiative helped support a 28 percent increase in fully vaccinated Somali children.

A clinic ready to protect children

Today, Fatima only needs to walk about half a mile to vaccinate her child.

“Now the vaccine is here, the nurse is ready, and I can return home the same day,” she says with a smile.

That change became possible when CARE International, Luxembourg Aid & Development, and the Somaliland Ministry of Health came together to support the Ismael Hussein Health Facility with new refrigerators and cold-chain equipment.

The robust blue refrigerator provide regular immunization services close to home for members of their community. Powered by solar energy, the specialized unit can hold about 70 liters of vaccines and has separate storage space for ice packs. An external digital display lets health workers monitor the system, ensuring everything stays safely preserved and ready for use.

Health workers at the clinic have also received training to strengthen vaccine management and improve their ability to respond quickly to disease outbreaks.

The improvements proved especially valuable during the recent measles outbreak in Burao.

“Before the vaccine storage system was restored, our ability to provide vaccination services was limited,” says Xamda, who oversees services at the Ismael Hussein Health Facility. “Having safe and effective vaccines available at the clinic meant we could protect children immediately and help stop the disease from spreading further. This investment has strengthened both our routine vaccination services and our ability to respond during emergencies.”

Stronger health services, healthier communities

Between May and July 2026, the facility administered more than 2,600 vaccine doses, including 1,395 measles vaccinations. Other routine immunizations now available include vaccinations against

All of those vaccinations are made possible thanks to the blue box that now sits on a raised wooden platform inside the clinic.

“Families now trust that vaccines will be available when they come to the clinic,” Xamda says.

When families come in to get their children vaccinated, health workers make notes in the clinic’s vaccine register, which helps them monitor community vaccination status and compliance in line with the suggested immunization schedule in Somaliland. It also makes it easier for them to remind families when to come back for booster shots and other scheduled vaccines.

“As a result,” Xamda adds, “more parents are returning for follow-up vaccinations, ensuring their children receive full protection and helping keep the wider community safe.”

For Fatima, the impact is both practical and personal. Sitting inside the health facility beside the refrigerator that now stores lifesaving vaccines, she cradles her youngest child while other families arrive for their appointments. Seeing neighbors and friends accessing healthcare close to home brings her a sense of relief that once seemed out of reach

“When my children need vaccinations, I know I can get them nearby,” she says. “I no longer have to choose between caring for my children and caring for my animals. It has brought us peace of mind and a healthier future for our children.”

Looking beyond the next outbreak

The benefits extend beyond routine immunization. When measles cases appeared in Burao, the health facility was ready. Vaccine doses were available, trained health workers responded quickly, and outreach activities helped protect children before the outbreak spread further.

“The response showed what is possible when local health facilities have the resources they need,” says Nimco, a health worker at the facility. “Vaccines are now closer to the community, and families are better protected against future outbreaks.”

For families in Ismael Hussein, the restored vaccine storage system represents much more than new equipment. It means children can receive lifesaving vaccinations close to home, parents no longer have to choose between protecting their livelihoods and protecting their children’s health, and communities are better prepared to respond when disease outbreaks occur.

“This project is about much more than refrigerators and vaccines,” says Ummy Dubow, CARE Somalia Country Director. “It is about ensuring that children in remote communities have the same opportunity to grow up healthy as any other child. By strengthening local health services and bringing care closer to families, we are helping communities build a healthier and more resilient future.”

Since 1981, CARE has worked in Somalia to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance and support communities facing conflict, displacement, drought, hunger, and other crises.

Today, CARE works with local partners and communities, including in Puntland and Somaliland, to improve access to health and nutrition services, clean water and sanitation, food and cash assistance, education, and economic opportunities. CARE also supports communities to strengthen livelihoods and prepare for and recover from emergencies, with a special focus on the needs of women and girls.