By Dr Mohamoud Abdi Hussein
Thursday May 2, 2024
It is an honor and a great privilege to visit with the Minnesota Member of Parliament of Somalia and the Somali envoy for Health and Nutrition, Dr. Abdirashiid Jiley. We had a great panel discussion to discuss the current situation in Somalia and the disputes over the constitutional amendment. Dr. Jiley talked about the challenges he faces in the government and the role of Parliament. Dr Jiley said Somalia has made significant changes to its constitution after granting the President the authority to appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister. This decision approved by a substantial majority of Parliament, followed intense debates within the federal assembly in Mogadishu. He also pointed out the improvements made by the government after defeating Al-Shabaab in many cities in the country. Dr Jiley said the government is now going in the right direction and there is opportunity for the country. Soon Somalia will stand her own feet and be
able to better address the needs of the Somali Diaspora. He said our diaspora was heavily involved in promoting education, healthcare, public infrastructure and private enterprise. In the relatively peaceful debates, they took part in discussing post-conflict reconstruction and development.
The auditorium slowly filled up with the Somali community of Minnesota asking questions regarding the constitution and health care in Somalia. Dr Jiley pointed out that many Somali children are not getting enough food, both in terms of quantity and variety. High numbers of these children and their mothers suffer from anemia and vitamin A deficiency. They are also more susceptible to infectious diseases and at risk of developing severe acute malnutrition, dangerously low weight and severe muscle wasting. When acute malnutrition becomes severe, children can die.
Dr Jiley pointed also to the lack of regulations allowing importers and their international distributors to use Somalia as a pharmaceutical dumpsite for their expired and falsified medications. Somalia’s health sector was decimated after the collapse of the central government in 1991. Until recently, the country’s ports were controlled by individuals who made it easy to import medicine through a simple monetary exchange. The governments will be taking steps to stop the corruption and distribution of expired medications and fake medical licenses.
Finally, Dr. Jiley’s coming to Minnesota was a great opportunity to have these panel discussions. He was able to address the questions we asked and filled out our understanding of the issues at hand. His education and experience are invaluable to our working together on these crucial subjects. His leadership will give all those involved the chance to move forward in Somalia by establishing a stable government, continuing to invest in education, promote economic growth, ensure food security, and fight and address the rampant corruption of the recent years.
Dr Mohamoud Abdi Hussein
Director of Multi- CareCounselling Services.
Licensed Psychotherapist LISW.
Master of Health and Human Administration