Diphtheria—a killer of children once nearly eradicated—is making a comeback in parts of the world plagued by conflict and weak health systems, reports the New York Times. The story reports large outbreaks in Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Chad, and it focuses on Somalia, where more than 2,000 cases have been reported this year, mostly in children. The figure, likely an undercount, surpasses the 838 cases logged last year, per Reuters. Health authorities say the resurgence is driven by a perfect storm: disrupted vaccination campaigns due to war, climate-fueled displacement, and lingering fallout from the COVID pandemic, which strained health systems and fueled vaccine hesitancy.
"We didn't even have a diphtheria support modality, because we didn't need one," says Katy Clark of Gavi, an international group that helps poor nations obtain vaccines. "And now we have to build out a whole new process to help countries respond." Hospitals such as Demartino in the capital of Mogadishu are overwhelmed: Nearly 1,000 patients have been admitted to its diphtheria ward in 2024, up from just 49 last year.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can suffocate victims by forming a thick membrane in the throat, and it was once a leading killer of children globally before vaccines emerged in the mid-20th century. Today, the fatality rate can be as high as one in four children in areas with poor access to care. The rise has drawn attention to US cuts in foreign aid earlier this year. The total to Somalia dropped to $149 million in the fiscal year ending in September, down from $765 million the previous year, per Reuters. "America is the most generous nation in the world, and we urge other nations to dramatically increase their humanitarian efforts," said a State Department spokesperson when asked about the cuts.
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