Friday July 28, 2023
An isolation facility prepared for COVID-19 at the Martini Hospital in Mogadishu. Feisal Omar/REUTERS
Mogadishu (HOL) - The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the Somali Ministry of Health, and the World Bank are set to rehabilitate six regional hospitals in Somalia in a significant project backed by $12.5 million financing from the World Bank's COVID-19 Emergency Vaccination Project.
The ambitious project to bolster Somalia's healthcare infrastructure will include the Bosaso General Hospital, Galmudug Regional Referral Hospital, Beledweyne District Referral Hospital, Bay Regional Hospital, Forlanini Hospital, and the Garbaharey District Referral Hospital.
Access to healthcare services in Somalia is alarmingly low, placing a heavy burden on its citizens to seek costly healthcare services from private facilities.
The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the healthcare system's deficiencies, with just one hospital, the De Martino Hospital in Mogadishu, equipped to handle COVID-19 patients at the pandemic's onset. Official data, widely believed to underestimate the pandemic's true toll, has recorded over 27,000 infections and nearly 1400 deaths due to the virus.
The six-hospital rehabilitation project will involve extensive renovations, civil works, and the installation of essential medical equipment to boost emergency response capabilities. Climate resilience measures will also be implemented, incorporating flood prevention mechanisms, wind-resistant structures, and passive cooling systems to ensure hospitals can withstand climate-related shocks.
Somalia's Minister of Health, Dr. Ali Haji Adan, said the initiative would help deliver essential healthcare services, particularly to vulnerable groups.
"We are taking important strides toward building a more resilient and responsive healthcare infrastructure," Adan said. "We're committed to expanding the reach of healthcare services across the country."
Ala'a Nemer, Country Director of UNOPS in Somalia, echoed Adan's sentiments, expressing pride in collaborating with the Ministry of Health.
The Somali Ministry of Health will oversee the project's implementation in partnership with UNOPS and the World Bank's project team.