In 2021, the Somali Red Crescent (SRCS) in Puntland State, together with support of the Norwegian Red Cross, has implemented a community health project providing different services including community-based surveillance (CBS) to the population.
More than 100 volunteers were trained in detecting signs and symptoms of epidemic diseases enabling early reporting and rapid response to prevent large scale outbreaks. Along with acute watery diarrhoea, fever and rash, unusual illnesses and deaths, the volunteers were also trained in signs and symptoms of Covid -19.
Based on their reports to the Nyssplatform, MoH could overcome the challenge of limited reach of people at community level with health education and referrals for testing for Covid-19. It also provided MoH with a better understanding of the high prevalence areas and supported prioritising of Covid-19 vaccination campaigns. MoH with SRCS were analysing the data from the Nyss platform to select locations which were at highest need to start mobile vaccination at community level.