In the Mudag region of Puntland, 119 Somali Red Crescent (SRCS) volunteers have been trained in CBS. These volunteers cover 54 locations in the region. The CBS volunteer training consists of how to report real-time on health risks identified to be a priority in the area from the CBS pre-assessment. One of the locations covered by SRCR volunteers is the Duyah IDP camp in Mudag region. As this camp is far away from the Galkayo District and there is no other close health facility, the community is not reached by routine vaccination services.
On February 18, 2022, eighteen reports of the health risk fever and rash were reported by SRCS volunteers in Dayah IDP Camp using the Nyss platform. After receiving these alerts, the CBS Officer confirmed the alert from volunteers, and escalated it to the Ministry of Health to respond all in the same day. Critical cases were referred to Mudug General Hospital, while others received health education by volunteers. After being admitted to the Mudug General Hospital, samples were collected from the children with suspected measles.
Even before the confirmation of positive measles cases, the SRCS, in collaboration with the MoH visited the camp and allocated a health mobile clinic team to carry out a measles vaccination campaign and case management. The diagram below shows the flow of information which facilitates real-time reporting and quick action.
Somali Red Crescent (SRCS) has implemented a community health project in 2020 in an internally displaced people (IDP) camp 15km from Galkayo District. This camp was established in 2017 due to severe droughts in the region. A population of about 6000 people has been forced to move to the area to find better condition for themselves and their livestock. Together with the leaders, three volunteers were identified from the community of the IDPs and trained in community health services, including community-based surveillance (CBS).
Beginning of December 2021, these volunteers reported on several children with fever and rash which are related to measles. Members of the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Puntland State went together with SRCS to investigate the situation. They could identify ten children with the respective symptoms, of whom the families had previously refused to vaccinate their children. Health awareness activities were conducted, and infected children referred to the hospital where they were confirmed positive for measles. The detection of those measles cases come just after a recently declared Measles outbreak in the same region in August 2021. Puntland State MoH is currently planning another measles campaign in all Puntland regions together with SRCS to end this outbreak.
SRCS together with support of the Norwegian Red Cross has established a community health project in 2021 in the region, which includes epidemic preparedness activities.