Estimating the Impact of Vaccination Campaigns on Measles Transmission in Somalia.

Somalia is a complex and fragile setting with a demonstrated potential for disruptive, high-burden measles outbreaks. In response, since 2018, Somalian authorities have partnered with UNICEF and the WHO to implement measles vaccination campaigns across the country. In this paper, we create a Somalia-specific model of measles transmission based on a comprehensive epidemiological dataset including case-based surveillance, vaccine registries, and serological surveys. We use this model to assess the impact of these campaign interventions on Somalian's measles susceptibility, showing, for example, that across the roughly 10 million doses delivered, 1 of every 5 immunized a susceptible child. Finally, we use the model to explore a counter-factual epidemiology without the 2019-2020 campaigns, and we estimate that those interventions prevented over 10,000 deaths.

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy in Health Care Workers in Somalia: Findings from a Fragile Country with No Previous Experience of Mass Adult Immunization.

Coverage of COVID-19 vaccines in Somalia remains low, including among health workers. This study aimed to identify factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health workers. In this cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study, 1476 health workers in government and private health facilities in Somalia's federal member states were interviewed face-to-face about their perceptions of and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated health workers were included. Factors associated with vaccine hesitancy were evaluated in a multivariable logistic regression analysis. Participants were evenly distributed by sex, and their mean age was 34 (standard deviation 11.8) years. The overall prevalence of vaccine hesitancy was 38.2%. Of the 564 unvaccinated participants, 39.0% remained hesitant. The factors associated with vaccine hesitancy were: being a primary health care worker (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15-4.90) or a nurse (aOR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.05-4.25); having a master's degree (aOR = 5.32, 95% CI: 1.28-22.23); living in Hirshabelle State (aOR = 3.23, 95% CI: 1.68-6.20); not having had COVID-19 (aOR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.15-3.32); and having received no training on COVID-19 (aOR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.02-2.32). Despite the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in Somalia, a large proportion of unvaccinated health workers remain hesitant about being vaccinated, potentially influencing the public's willingness to take the vaccine. This study provides vital information to inform future vaccination strategies to achieve optimal coverage.