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What happened, where and when?
Since January 3, 2025, Erigavo Regional Hospital in the Sanaag region has reported ve cases of leishmaniasis, a disease not historically prevalent in those areas of Somaliland. Among these cases, four tested positive for Leishmania IgG through Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), raising concerns about the potential emergence of a localized outbreak. Subsequent laboratory analysis conrmed two fatalities from Rugay and Cirshiida in Erigavo district, highlighting the severity of the situation. The most recent case (01) was ocially conrmed on February 26, 2025, as a kalzar type, further underscoring the ongoing transmission risk.
Despite these hospital-reported cases, the extent of leishmaniasis (Visceral Leishmaniasis—Kala-Azar) within the broader community remains uncertain due to limited surveillance data. The lack of comprehensive epidemiological insights poses challenges in assessing transmission dynamics and potential risk factors, necessitating an urgent and coordinated response.
On March 2, 2025, in response to the worsening situation, the Ministry of Health Development (MoHD) has formally issued a request letter to urgently inform the partners of the critical public health concerns regarding the recent outbreak of Leishmaniasis in the Sanaag region, triggering an appeal to humanitarian partners for urgent intervention. This request serves as an ocial call for support, urging international and local organizations to assist in disease control, medical treatment, and prevention eorts. The trigger date, marked by the release of this request letter, signies the government's acknowledgment of the crisis and its need for external aid to combat the outbreak eectively.