By Peter Orengo

More than one million children in Somalia will benefit from a health package funded by the international community.

The programme will improve the survival rates of all children and women against preventable diseases.

On Wednesday, a campaign Child Health Days was launched in Hargeisa, the capital of northwest Somalia by Vice-President Ahmed Yusuf Yasin, who urged every family to participate in the programme.

"I recommend to everyone to take their children to be vaccinated. This campaign is important because it will lead to social improvement and development of Somaliland."

The country is plagued by limited social services, poor health infrastructure and a volatile security situation.

Unicef and WHO have partnered with local authorities and NGOs to protect children under five against preventable childhood diseases and water-borne illnesses.

The children will undergo immunisation against measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and polio.

Speaking at the launch, Unicef representative for Somalia, Christian Balslev-Olesen said: "We aim to reach every single child with this high-impact life-saving package of interventions. Working together, we can protect children and their mothers against preventable diseases."

Somalia has been hit by serious political challenges.

President Abdullahi Yusuf has indicated he will resign on Saturday as instability in the Horn of Africa country persists.