Somalia
Years of widespread internal conflict and no central government has left Somalia in extreme poverty.
With an infant mortality rate of currently 132/1 000 live births and a maternal mortality rate of 1 600/100 000 live births, Somalia's health indicators continue to be some of the worst in the world. More than 350 000 Somalis are refugees and a further 400 000 are internally displaced. Severe droughts have worsened the already widespread food insecurity. The formation of the new transitional government has raised hopes that a period of stability may lie ahead but for the foreseeable future vital public health functions will continue to be undertaken by aid agencies operating in difficult security environments.