Helping Families Displaced by Conflict in Mogadishu, Somalia

UNICEF's Misbah Sheikh reports on efforts by UNICEF and partners to protect displaced children in Somalia from common childhood diseases.

Helping Families Displaced by Conflict in Mogadishu, Somalia Misbah Sheikh: You are watching UNICEF television. In early November 2007, tens of thousands of people mostly women and children fled fighting in the Somalia capital of Mogadishu and made their way to safety along the off going road. This road is now home to some 200,000 internally displaced people, a number which increases everyday. Female: We are in a difficult condition, we live here without shelter, nobody has given us shelter, we have no water, no beddings, we have nothing and we are desperate. Misbah Sheikh: It is conditions like this that breed diseases like measles and diarrhea. This is why UNICEF and its partners have been launching a series of campaigns to provide a package of key life saving interventions to children under five and women of reproductive age. Male: During these days, children depending on their immunization data’s have received vaccines against polio, tuberculosis, cough, tetanus and measles. They’ve also received vitamin A supplementation while pregnant mothers have been given Ion and foliate, they’ve also been immunized against tetanus. Misbah Sheikh: UNICEF hopes to reach a 100,000 children and women through this effort and has already complimented the delivery of this package with activities to provide clean water and sanitation and to screen and treat children for malnutrition. Male: This immunization campaign is very important to children of Somalia. We need to have in mind that among the 5% of all children in Somalia do get the full vaccination. That means we have to find ways and means to address all children, especially now where more than 10% of the whole population is on the run and we have very good documented experiences and the campaign model we can reach out to 70%, 80% in some places 90%. Misbah Sheikh: Despite fears of increased displacement and worsening humanitarian conditions, recent data coming out of Somalia that it is possible to reduce the number of children dying using a campaign approach. This is Misbah Sheikh reporting for UNICEF Somalia, unite for children.