MOGADISHU, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The combined number of cases of five infectious diseases has doubled in Somalia over the past three months as aid cuts have forced hundreds of health clinics to close, with children under five hit hardest, a global charity said.

In a statement released on Thursday evening in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, Save the Children said cases of measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, cholera, and severe respiratory infections have more than doubled, from about 22,600 to over 46,000, since mid-April.

"We are urgently calling for sustained investment in Somalia's health system, particularly in surveillance, immunization, outbreak response, and increasing access to primary health care service to put an end to the disease outbreaks and keep children alive," Mohamud Mohamed Hassan, Save the Children's country director for Somalia, said.

According to the Somali Ministry of Health and Human Services, at least 357 new suspected cases of measles, diphtheria, or cholera were reported among children under five in the past week alone.

Save the Children noted that so far this year, Somalia has reported 6,267 suspected cases of cholera, with 60 percent among under-fives. The youngest children have also been the hardest hit by the measles outbreak, accounting for an estimated 75 percent of 5,436 reported cases.

The sharp rise in vaccine-preventable diseases is linked to recent aid cuts, which have impacted the health system's capacity to deliver essential services, including routine immunization, and to treat and run catch-up campaigns to increase the immunity necessary to halt the outbreak, according to the charity.

Mohamed said Somalia remains one of the countries with the highest number of zero-dose children in sub-Saharan Africa, adding that the funding cuts have not only disrupted immunization programs but also weakened the ability of health partners to respond effectively to ongoing and emerging outbreaks.

These outbreaks are compounding existing humanitarian challenges, such as malnutrition, with overcrowding in camps for displaced people and limited access to healthcare.

In May, Save the Children reported that at least 55,000 children supported by the aid agency in Somalia will lose access to lifesaving nutrition services, as aid cuts have forced about one-third of the charity-supported nutrition services to close.

"Unless the aid cuts are reversed and more resources put in place to support the health system, we are worried the situation will rapidly deteriorate, placing immense strain on vulnerable communities, particularly children under five," said Mohamed. ■