MOGADISHU, 18 March 2022 – On 17 March 2022, Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative and Head of Mission to Somalia, handed over a duplex pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plant to H.E. Fawziya Abikar Nur, the Minister of Health of Somalia, alongside H.E. Tiina Intelmann, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Somalia and Mr Adam Abdelmoula, Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (DSRSG/UNRC/HC) for Somalia. This milestone event took place at the De Martino Hospital in Mogadishu where the oxygen plant is currently installed. The De Martino Hospital is a specialized hospital serving the capital city and Banadir, the most populated region in Somalia.

WHO handed over the PSA plant to the Federal Government of Somalia at a small ceremony. The plant was procured with generous funds received from the EU Delegation to Somalia through its ongoing support for the emergency response to COVID-19 in the country. The PSA oxygen plant inaugurated today was the first of its kind to be procured and installed at the De Martino Hospital as part of WHO’s vision to build an inclusive and equitable health systempost-COVID-19, together, with its partners and Ministry of Health and Human Services.

 “We are very grateful to WHO and the EU Delegation for the support they have offered to Somalia for this medical oxygen. The PSA oxygen plant they have provided is placed in our national specialized hospital for COVID-19 patients, the De Martino Hospital and can serve up to 25 intensive care patients facing dire health challenges at once, while another unit refills cylinders. Together, they can fill 100 40-litre oxygen cylinders in a day,” said H.E. Fawziya Abikar Nur, the Federal Minister of Health and Human Services in Somalia. “This support is part of a strategic roadmap to boost oxygen supply in hospitals across the country.”

“Simple medical oxygen is effective in treating many health challenges – including COVID-19 and surgical, emergency and critical care services, such as trauma. In 2018, pneumonia was estimated to kill around two children aged under five every hour in Somalia and yet global evidence shows that simple medical oxygen can reduce up to 35% of child deaths. It is so crucial and yet has no substitute,” said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik. “After noting its scarcity in Somalia during the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO mounted a speedy response, and provided medical oxygen as a smart, cost-effective investment to save more lives. In the coming months, WHO will continue to work to procure more medical oxygen to Somalia to bridge the gap in access.”

Mr Adam Abdelmoula said, “WHO is using a two-pronged approach to offering medical oxygen – while offering medical oxygen to health facilities and the Government, they are also training health care workers, biomedical engineers and technicians in using the installed oxygen plants, with support from the EU and other partners. These steps are essential in improving a health system and advancing towards health-related Sustainable Development Goals.”

The EU Ambassador, Tiina Intelmann, highlighted that this support to the Government through WHO is an important part of the EU-funded COVID-19 response work in Somalia. This oxygen plant installed at De Martino Hospital is the first one of such devices funded by the EU, with the two additional ones currently under deployment in Garowe and Hargeisa. The EU Ambassador explained that the EU support aimed at suppressing COVID-19 in Somalia, which initially started with humanitarian aid, was continued through a partnership with WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health in order to further support the strengthening of the health sector. EU support is not only focused on critical oxygen provision but also includes a vaccination campaign through the COVAX initiative.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Somalia in March 2020, none of the public sector hospitals had medical oxygen available and the health workforce was not trained on its use. Since then, WHO has worked with partners to procure, install and deliver PSA oxygen plants for large specialized hospitals, solar-powered medical oxygen systems for small hospitals and oxygen concentrators for primary health centres to ensure high-grade medical oxygen is available at points of care for every patient struggling to breathe.

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For additional information, please contact:

• Khadar Hussein Mohamud, Head of Coordination and Communications, Ministry of Health, Federal Government of Somalia, Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.

• Kyle DeFreitas, External Relations Officer, WHO Somalia, Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.

• Fouzia Bano, Communications Officer, WHO Somalia, Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.

• Vicente Selles, Liaison Officer/Communication Programme Manager, Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.

Note to Editors

Please visit the links below for additional information:

Solar-powered medical oxygen systems saving lives in Somalia: using innovation to accelerate impact in a fragile setting

How a gloomy night brought a bright light in the fight against COVID-19

Counting every breath: a data-driven strategy to improve access to medical oxygen for COVID-19 patients in Somalia

Every breath counts: utilizing the COVID-19 response to increase access to oxygen

Survival analysis of critically ill patients with COVID-19 admitted to hospital in Somalia: how important was oxygen?

Solar-powered oxygen delivery in Somalia: the vital need beyond COVID-19

Historical moment for Somalia as COVID-19 vaccines arrive through COVAX Facility

Community health workers explain methods of disease prevention. Credit: WHO/Somalia

10 March 2022 – Somalia has witnessed intermittent drought over the last 3 decades. Each drought, and natural catastrophe, has brought with it a string of health consequences, magnified even further in a country with fragile and vulnerable health system.   

CERF support delivering anticipatory action   

To respond to an impending drought situation in Somalia during May to November in 2021, WHO provided timely support to the Ministry of Health and Human Services, with funding support from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Part of the support focused on the prevention and mitigation of the health consequences of drought through anticipatory action, while the other focused on delivering an urgent, swift response through the deployment of rapid response teams in affected districts.

Highlighting the progress made Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative to Somalia and Head of Mission, said, “Our support prevented a major catastrophe when the country has still been reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and its health system was yet to fully recover.” By considering Somalia’s previous experiences with drought, we were able to predict scenarios, prepare for, and respond to, difficult situations to save lives, and all the while offer essential primary health care services throughout the same efforts.” 

Preventing and mitigating public health risks by anticipating effects of emergencies 

In 2021, through the CERF anticipatory action project, WHO supported the ministries of health in Somaliland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland and Puntland to prevent and mitigate the public health risks of drought. In 11 high-risk districts earmarked by Somalia’s Health Cluster, WHO took measures to prevent the spread of diseases, reaching 163 266 people directly, 69 635 of whom were internally displaced people (IDPs) and 81 021 were women. 

The project also enabled WHO to deploy health care workers, and rapid response teams, with a view to preventing disease spread and mitigating the health effects of drought at community levels. As a result, over 1100 outbreak alerts were detected and investigated in a timely manner.  By enhancing surveillance for diseases, detecting, investigating and responding to alerts early, the country was able to avert larger outbreaks of diseases from cholera, measles and other epidemic disease, save lives and reduce the health consequences of drought. 

The anticipatory action project has also supported scaling up of essential health care services, including treatment of severely malnourished children in nutrition stabilization centres across the states covered. 

Through this support, WHO distributed medical supplies for treatment of severe acute malnutrition, cholera, malaria and pneumonia, thereby reaching 244 250 people, who had limited access to health services, with community outreach services.  

Delivering a rapid response to public health challenges 

As part of the second CERF-funded rapid response project, in 2021, in collaboration with state ministries of health, WHO deployed rapid response teams and community health workers to provide an urgent, essential health response for IDPs and host communities in 9 drought-affected districts in Somaliland, Jubaland and Puntland. Through this support, WHO directly reached 123 181 Somalis, 61 573 of whom were female.  

Through this project, WHO deployed 324 community health workers who visited every household in drought-affected district to, report alerts to the rapid response teams for field investigation. These community health workers reported a total 2527 epidemic alerts, including for suspected measles, cholera, malaria and respiratory tract infections. The rapid response teams that were trained and deployed in 39 districts through this project investigated 1686 of these alerts triggered from the community health workers. These interventions prevented major outbreaks in drought-affected areas. In addition, WHO’s work helped to provide essential health care to over 491 206 beneficiaries.  

Communities’ needs drive project activities 

In places like riverine villages where Dahawo Muse Yusuf and her family live, these interventions support Somalis to be prepared for, and respond to, public health challenges. 

Sitting upright on a bed at the Jowhar Regional Hospital, Dahawo explained how her village, Raqayle Umar Gudley, is affected every time the Shabelle River swells with floods, or runs dry through a drought. This is yet another time when Dahawo and her community have not been able to harvest crops since the last deyr rains failed, she adds grimly. 

“We have no access to safe water and dig into the river bed to look for water sometimes,” said 

20-year-old Dahawo. “I know of many people like me, from my village, who are suffering from diarrhoea due to drinking unsafe water. Once, an NGO – I can’t remember their name – gave us chlorine to clean water but that was just once.” When asked if she knew how to clean water, Dahawo chuckles and says they have not been able to discuss this issue at home, but that she would ask her husband, who is educated, to discuss with the community how to clean water to prevent diseases. 

“People like Dahawo are suffering from diseases that can be prevented,” said Dr Mohamed Farah, the head clinician at the Jowhar Regional Hospital. “Many people also suffer from communicable diseases such as pneumonia, and acute watery diarrhoea, and several children are suffering from measles and severe acute malnutrition as the result of the drought. We are receiving patients from as far as Hiran and Jalaqsi. The situation is getting worse every day.”

Learning skills to prevent the spread of diseases 

WHO team visiting a stabilization centre in Baidoa, South West State, to provide technical support for integrated management of acute malnutrition, on 21 February 2022. Credit: WHO/ SomaliaThe two CERF-funded projects reached health care workers with different skill sets. In Belet Weyne, Nimca Kalil Mohamud, a nurse working at the Eljalle Health Centre offers women support to breastfeed their babies properly, and gives advice on family planning and nutrition. 

She explained that she learnt a lot about the prevention of COVID-19 and the integrated management of childhood illnesses at a capacity-building session offered by WHO and the Government through CERF in 2021. 

In addition to advancing skills and knowledge, such training also motivates health workers like her to do her job better, Nimca added.

Offering primary health care services to support affected communities

In continuing to ensure humanitarian aid reaches people affected by public health crises, WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health in Somalia in 2022 to ensure a rapid response intervention to mitigate the public health risks in some of the severest drought-affected districts of Galmudug and South West State.

Under these rapid response interventions supported by CERF, the project aims to increase communities’ access to primary health care services through fixed and outreach services, including the timely detection of and swift response to alerts of epidemic-prone diseases, as well as support risk communication, community engagement and health promotion activities. These efforts will continue to protect vulnerable populations from the adverse effects of drought. 

Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative to Somalia, in discussion with HE Per Lindgarde, Ambassador of Sweden to Somalia. Credit: WHO/Mukhtar

19 February 2022 – The COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the importance of health research in finding solutions to health challenges. To address the most urgent health priorities using evidence-based solutions, the Ministry of Health and Human Services of the Federal Government of Somalia and National Institute of Health (NIH), with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, convened the first ever health research conference in Garowe, Puntland, from 30 January to 1 February 2022.

Some of the brightest Somali minds came together at the event ─ 200 national and international researchers ─ to present 51 unpublished research abstracts, showcasing new evidence and best practices around public health actions in Somalia which were neither researched before in the country by anyone nor had any evidence been generated before on these priority public health issues. Overall, Somali authors submitted 91 abstracts; the rest were either published already or did not meet the expected criteria.

Dignitaries who participated in the conference included: HE Dr Fawziya Abikar Nur, Federal Minister of Health and Human Services; HE Dr Jama Farah Hassan, Minister of Health, Puntland; HE Per Lindgarde, Ambassador of Sweden to Somalia; Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative to Somalia and Head of Mission. Representatives from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Public Health Agency of Sweden (PHAS) and African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), and colleagues from the University of Umea and the Gothenburg University in Sweden also participated.

Professor Khalif Bile, Chair of the NIH Board of Directors and the Scientific Committee for the NIH Research Conference, spearheaded the event, taking it from an idea to reality. Under the leadership of Dr Abdifatah Diriye Ahmed, NIH Executive Director, the NIH Public Health Specialist and research focal person, Dr Mukhtar Bulale, organized the conference, bringing together all relevant stakeholders.

High-level dignitaries, including both the Federal and Puntland's Health Ministers with the WHO Representative, Ambassador of Sweden and NIH Executive Director, attended the research conference. Credit: WHO/Mukhtar

Institutions supporting the NIH

WHO extended financial support to the conference, through the Alliance for Health Policy and System Research (AHPSR), which aims to build health systems research capacity for low and middle-income countries and use new knowledge and evidence from public health research to set policies that support system building. The AHPSR promotes the generation and use of health policy and systems research to improve health systems in low- and middle-income countries, such as Somalia, while developing the research capacity of institutions, systems and individuals. 

Other partners of WHO supporting this first ever research conference include the PHAS, which provided financial support to the event, and collaborates with the NIH, in addition to AFENET and SIDA, which offer regular technical support to the NIH’s activities.

Members of academia from 32 public, private and international universities attended the conference, and supported the NIH team at various stages of planning and implementation.

Young, budding Somali researchers light glimmer of hope

Participants at the conference included scientific and technical committees, organizers, presenters, stakeholders, panelists and partners. The scientific committee for the event assessed abstracts, mentored some of the authors whose abstracts needed further refining, and developed guidelines and checklists for peer reviewing the studies.

Of the 51 researchers, seven were female. Additionally, 10 trainees from the first ever Frontline-Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP-Frontline) conducted in Somalia in 2021, with support from WHO, the PHAS, AFENET and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC), offered support to conduct the research conference.

Sadia Hussein, one of the two trainees from the first FETP cohort who presented an abstract, and a WHO Public Health Specialist, explained that she got the idea for her study while she was working in Deynile, Banadir, as part of the FETP field work. She added she enjoyed participating in the conference as it was a forum where researchers and experts came together with policy-makers to display their research skills, while highlighting gaps in the health system, and linking research to the bigger picture in health.

Researchers presented on an extensive range of topics 

Researchers presented their findings on six themes that had been selected after taking into consideration the Essential Package of Health Services (Somalia EPHS 2020), universal health coverage (UHC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They presented 10 abstracts under the theme of health systems; 15 as part of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health; 18 under communicable diseases; and 8 as part of noncommunicable diseases. Panelists delivered 12 informative presentations related to the themes of health research production and dissemination; and research training and capacity-building, linking research to action.

Presenters stimulated thought-provoking discussions between the sessions, including around strengthening pharmacovigilance and drug regulation; increasing and motivating human resources for health; occupational safety of health workers with the introduction of new diagnostics, improving access to health care for women; and providing compassionate care while maintaining dignity and the privacy of female patients. They discussed how to reduce and eliminate the harmful practice of female genital mutilation (FGM); and recruit assistant community-based midwives to improve maternal health care in rural areas. The only experimental study that was presented focused on ‘Effects of the Coenzyme Q10 on the Peripheral Nerve Injury: An Electrophysiological Study’, presented by a university professor.  

Furthermore, participants debated over how to address the high burden of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in Somalia, and the need to deploy community health workers to enhance early detection of the disease, in order to reach the SDGs’ target of ending tuberculosis epidemics by 2030. These rich discussions aim to spur changes in policies and programming eventually.

Introduction of the first Somali Health Action Journal

As another significant milestone, the NIH Board of Directors launched the Somali Health Action Journal (SHAJ) at the conference. This is the first Somali health journal that will receive articles, facilitate their review by peers, motivate Somalis to conduct further research, write and publish new articles, and take up opportunities to disseminate and use research for policy-making and the design of useful programmes.

The editors of the journal committed to supporting young Somali researchers by mentoring them where possible. The journal aims to inspire the young and future generations of Somali health professionals to study different topics that will lead to innovations in health in the country.

Research must address country’s problems

HE Dr Fawziya Abikar Nur, Minister of Health and Human Services for Somalia, praised the NIH, its board of directors, and scientific committees for motivating several young Somalis to present their findings on crucial health topics.

“I encourage you to document these national efforts ─ both what works and what does not work and why ─ but, above all, provide us solutions that can address the challenges we face,” she said, while thanking the partners who made the event a resounding success.

While lauding the Government of Somalia for its exemplary role in organizing a milestone event of this kind, and commending international researchers for visiting Puntland for the historical gathering and partners such as the PHAS for their support, Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik inspired young and experienced Somali researchers by announcing that WHO will work with the NIH to introduce state-of-the-art libraries in all ministry of health buildings of Somalia. He also added the WHO would award the young researchers nominated by the NIH for the best research presented in future conferences.

Dr Malik reminded the audience that in 1990, it was noted that only 10% of global health research was allocated for addressing 90% of global health problems. A commission set up to address this problem warned that if this disparity was not changed, the world would experience a large burden of infectious diseases, increasing rates of tuberculosis, malaria, and epidemics of noncommunicable diseases including heart diseases. As predicted, Dr Malik explained, the world is now seeing a high burden of these diseases, including infectious and noncommunicable diseases. 

Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative to Somalia addresses the researchers and participants at the research conference. Credit: WHO/Mukhtar

“I encourage you to come up with a national health research agenda and improve collaboration between the public and private sector, especially universities,” said Dr Mamunur Malik. “Also, research needs to contribute to improving national health. For example, diarrhoea and malaria contribute to a high burden of diseases but people do not have access to health services. Research should help address issues like this, and how to improve access in fragile settings like in Somalia, address health inequities, and increase access to drugs so people lead healthier lives.”

Putting Somalia on the global research map

On behalf of the NIH team, Dr Mukhtar Bulale explained that the sessions were successful and led to rich discussions with questions being answered, which was a flagship symbol illustrating useful nationally owned health research.

“Even though we started small, this conference has put Somalia on the global research map. Seeing young researchers put their best foot forward has given us immense hope that Somalia’s health research development is undergoing a recovery phase. We saw at the conference a unity of purpose, solidarity and eagerness for research partnerships and solutions to challenges. I urge stakeholders to ensure we do not miss the opportunity to support these young, dynamic researchers,” Dr Bulale said.

At the end of the conference, the Federal Ministry of Health, NIH, and stakeholders advocated for sustained investment in health research to further promote the Essential Package of Health Services 2020, which would benefit the Somali population. They also resolved to promote health system research, linking it to public policy formulation, while ensuring it focuses on addressing existing barriers to health service delivery. This implies the development of a national research agenda to invest – attention, resources and skills – in research that will result in improved health outcomes for the populations, and thematic areas where more evidence is required to inform policies and strategies. Together, they also committed to foster cooperation between the public and private sector in health system research, and to promote the development of innovative technologies and approaches. The partners resolved to strengthen the links between evidence generation and health care provision, while calling on all national and international stakeholders to develop the capacity of learning institutions and to facilitate high-quality research in the country.    

Note to editors

The World Health Organization (WHO) country office for Somalia, the Government of Sweden and the Public Health Agency of Sweden (PHAS) are providing support to Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services (FMOH) to support the establishment and strengthening the capacity of the National Institute of Health (NIH) of Somalia.  Please below articles for additional information on this exemplary collaboration. 

• Somalia rolls out FETP-Frontline training programme to build disease detectives/baare and prevent spread of diseases
  25 October 2021 
• Somalia pioneers implementation of an integrated disease surveillance and response strategy in a fragile setting
  18 October 2021 
• WHO Somalia - Policy-brief 5 - Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Strategy for Somalia (IDSRS): improving surveillance and response capacity or national health security in Somalia
  October 2021
• WHO Somalia - Policy-brief 4 - Shaping national health security in Somalia through field epidemiology training programmes
  October 2021
• WHO and Sweden sign agreement to further strengthen the capacity of the National Institute of Health and improve digitalization of health information in Somalia
  28 June 2021
• WHO and SPIDER Center sign agreement to strengthen health information management in Somalia
  8 March 2021
• An innovative and unique partnership: WHO, Sweden and Somalia work together to improve health outcomes for all Somalis
  1 February 2021
• WHO and Public Health Agency of Sweden sign MoU to support establishment of National Institute of Health for Somalia
  5 January 2021

Additional information on the Alliance for Health Policy and System Research 

A technical officer from the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Mona Osman, after a discussion with patients. Credit: WHO30 January 2022 – In May 2021, the World Health Assembly resolved to dedicate 30 January each year as World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day to shed light on the public health challenge that neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) pose in countries such as Somalia. This came about as a result of lobbying from the United Arab Emirates to galvanize support for communities suffering without enough support, particularly as other disease control initiatives gain more attention. This year, the theme for World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day is ‘Achieving health equity to end the neglect of poverty-related diseases.’ 

Prevalence of NTDs in Somalia

NTDs are known to be ‘neglected’ owing to the lack of attention they receive, including from the donor community, policy-makers and stakeholders. The NTDs in Somalia are a consequence and cause of poverty as they thrive where access to clean water, sanitation and health care is limited. They affect the poorest, most marginalized communities, particularly children, women and the elderly, and those who lack access to basic needs like clean water. In Somalia, they impact communities living in rural and remote settings and the outskirts of big towns. These diseases cause immeasurable suffering, and prevent adults from being able to work and children from being able to go to school. 

Of the 20 NTDs listed by WHO as endemic in tropical countries, the most prevalent in Somalia are: leprosy, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases and visceral leishmaniasis. About 5 to 6 million people in the country live in areas that are highly endemic for these NTDs. On the occasion of World Neglected Tropical Disease Day, WHO and its partners renew their call to address the health inequity that is the main driver for people suffering from NTDs to access quality health care and as a result, these ancient diseases continue to thrive and impact health and productivity.

Somalia a global priority for leprosy control 

In 2019, as Somalia was one of 16 countries reporting more than 1000 new cases of leprosy, the WHO Global Leprosy programme classified it as a global priority country. Even before this though, the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services had been working to respond to this disease. In August 2015, the Ministry of Health established an NTD section, after which the detection of new leprosy patients improved, and increased from 107 in 2015 to 2638 in 2021, despite a global drop in cases reported and detected in 2020 due to the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The overall increase in detection of new leprosy cases in Somalia is also linked to support received from the Nippon Foundation, which has been supporting Somalia for the last several years to conduct outreach and raise awareness around leprosy, enhance screening of patients, and support leprosy patients with treatment so they are non-infectious.  

Lack of awareness leads to social exclusion 

Culimo shares her experiences of living with leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease Credit: Ali Abdi IsackAt the age of 19, Culimo Osmal Hilowle contracted leprosy – a disease that she didn’t know much about – despite having no memory of how she got infected. Even though she didn’t have any physical disability, she started to present with sores on her skin.

“Everyone I know was afraid I would spread this disease to them,” Culimo says. “They isolated me. At some point I even started to believe that I had a mental disability, but once I started to receive treatment, I knew I couldn’t infect anyone and felt much better as I integrated into the society again.” 

Culimo owns a small shop where she sells vegetables every day, to support her 2 boys alongside her husband. 

Leprosy can be treated, cured and stopped if it is detected in good time. “It would be good for more people to learn about forgotten diseases like leprosy. Now that people around me know more about the disease, they treat me well and support me.” 

Additional resources needed to fight NTDs and increase health equity 

Besides leprosy, it is estimated that 9 of the most endemic regions for NTDS in Somalia are also affected by visceral leishmaniasis. For several years, there have only been 3 main treatment centres, situated in two regions of Bakool and Bay and supported by WHO with capacity-building and medicines, that provide services to support patients suffering from visceral leishmaniasis. Most patients who come in with this disease are from rural areas, where they may have limited access to health services. Even though the local communities in these locations, in collaboration with international and local nongovernmental organizations, provide support to address visceral leishmaniasis, there is a need to have additional capacity to address NTDs like this. 

In 2016, a study noted that most schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth cases were found in the regions in the South West state of Somalia. In response, from 2017 to 2020, WHO supported the Ministry of Health to offer medicines using mass drug administration activities. In 2020, WHO and the Ministry of Health offered medication to around 2 909 457 school-aged children and adults to protect them schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections. 

Taking measures to address NTDs 

WHO Somalia is supporting the Ministry of Health to reduce the prevalence of NTDs, by offering technical support, mobilizing resources, including medical drugs, and increasing coordination between donors and the Federal Government of Somalia to fight NTDs. Key donors supporting the fight against NTDs include the Nippon Foundation, the Government of Japan, and The END Fund, alongside support from the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. 

“In a two-pronged approach, WHO is supporting the Government to respond to NTDs, while also working to ensure all Somalis have equitable access to health services through universal health coverage,” said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative to Somalia and Head of Mission. “In the very near future, WHO and the Government aim to develop the national strategy for elimination and control of NTDs, running from 2022 to 2025, which will increase the capacity of institutions to prevent and respond to NTDs and support patients in a holistic manner, no matter where they live. Our Country Cooperation Strategy 2021–2025 aims to ensure a healthy future for every Somali by accelerating the uptake and coverage mass drug administration through improving access to care which remains the main intervention for control of NTDs. However, we will need more support from policy-makers, donors and stakeholders to make this a reality.” 

NTDs are strongly linked to universal health coverage (Target 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals). The WHO country office renews its pledge and promises on leaving no one behind. Providing access to health services and essential medicines for NTDs is an indicator of the overall success of universal health coverage.