( CNN ) -- In addition to a disastrous drought and political violence , Somalia is facing a potentially devastating health crisis . The World Health Organization 's regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean said that at one hospital alone , more than 6,000 cases of cholera and diarrhea have been reported since January of this year . Banadir Hospital in Mogadishu is one of Somalia 's largest , but its website warns that it has been `` flooded '' with recent cases of acute watery diarrhea , or AWD , a condition associated with cholera and unclean drinking water leading to malnutrition and fatal dehydration . CNN video taken Thursday at a Banadir Hospital 's pediatric diarrhea center shows heart-wrenching images of emaciated babies and their worried parents . Many of the infants were receiving fluids through intravenous drips . A flyer distributed by the center emphasizes the importance of hydration , and encourages mothers to breastfeed as much as possible . But even with intensive hydration and medical care , many will not survive . In just the past week , four children under the age of 5 have died at Banadir Hospital , health agencies say . More than 190 other children were hospitalized there in the same period , along with nearly 100 adults . But it is children who bear the brunt of this condition : This year , 45 % of AWD-related deaths have been among children under 2 years old , according to World Health Organization statistics . The organization has been building up its supplies and working on preventive activities in reaction to the ongoing conflict near Mogadishu , Somalia 's capital . Its most recent statement warns that `` the increased influx of internal displaced people and the precarious living conditions are high risk for outbreaks , and the number of AWD cases is expected to rise significantly between now and October . ''
more than 6,000 Mogadishu hospital has treated One cases of cholera and diarrhea Thursday . CNN video footage shows emaciated babies receiving fluids intravenously . CNN is building up supplies and working on prevention .