BACKSLIDING ON CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS DUE TO ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY IN BANADIR REGION, SOMALIA

Background: SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in a global public health crisis. During the pandemic, considerable delay was observed making it impossible for some children to receive their due vaccines on time. Like most resource-poor countries, COVID-19 pandemic is thought have negative impact Somalia’s immunization coverage. Materials and methods: This study aimed assess of routine childhood coverage Somalia. A retrospective comparative cross-sectional approach employed investigate number under-5-year who got from two major mother child hospital, (Banadir SOS hospitals) Mogadishu, Somalia October 2019 December 2020. To do this, total 112, 060 data relating (measles, polio, whooping cough, hepatitis B, pneumonia, tuberculosis) were collected monthly report-data hospitals. Results: The results showed that all except birth remarkably dropped with Penta-3 (27%), Penta-2 (11%), measles (10%) Penta-1 (8%) respectively. However, (BCG Polio 0) not affected as this study. reduction rate may be combination many other factors, we however recognize contributed significantly outcome. Conclusion: government needed take proactive measures encourage parents present immunizations, including increasing community awareness concerning importance these immunizations despite ongoing pandemics.