Saturday February 3, 2024
The Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Mogadishu has been officially reopened with a special ceremony, in the presence of Hamza Abdi Barre, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and Ahmad Juma Al Rumaithi, UAE Ambassador to Somalia.
The hospital reopened following comprehensive renovations and the installation of new medical equipment. The medical facility encompasses eight major departments: Emergency Department, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Dentistry, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dermatology, ENT, and an Imaging Department that includes ultrasound and X-ray devices, in addition to other vital departments.
In his speech to mark the occasion, Al Rumaithi affirmed the UAE's commitment to continue providing support and aid to the Somali people and backing their efforts to achieve stability, whilst building on the historical relations between the two countries and peoples. He also underscored the UAE’s keenness to promote cooperation with Somalia across various fields, and support its economic growth and prosperity.
Al Rumaithi said, “Reopening the hospital aligns with the UAE's humanitarian approach in helping friendly nations, and supporting vital developmental projects, especially in the healthcare sector. Ever since its founding by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE has consistently championed humanitarian work as an unwavering and fundamental principle of its foreign policy. In this regard, the UAE has implemented several initiatives that embody the UAE’s values of spreading humanitarian relief.”
For his part, Prime Minister Barre commended the close and deep-rooted bilateral relations and cooperation across a wide range of areas of mutual interest, also extending his gratitude to the UAE for its efforts in supporting Somalia.
Saif Ali Al Rashash, Chargé d’Affaires at the UAE Embassy, also attended the opening ceremony, along with several government officials of Somalia, including the State Minister for Health, Mogadishu’s Deputy Mayor for Social Affairs, and the Head of the UAE-Somalia Parliamentary Friendship Committee, as well as other officials.
The Sheikh Zayed Hospital is one of the few medical centres in Mogadishu that provides free medical services and medications to patients.
The reopening of the Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Mogadishu is part of the UAE’s endeavours and initiatives to support Somalia and its health sector. Reopening the hospital will contribute to improving the quality of medical services provided to Somalis, increasing their opportunities of receiving free medical care, particularly for the most vulnerable groups, who are unable to afford treatment and medications at private hospitals.