To celebrate International Nurses’ Day, marked around the world on Florence Nightingale’s birthday on 12 May, and International Midwives’ Day, which falls on 7 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Somalia is acknowledging the remarkable contribution of nurses and midwives in the country. WHO spoke to 2 experts to hear about their...

MOGADISHU, 4 May 2021 – Vaccines protect us against preventable diseases, including COVID-19. They bring us closer to a healthier world and are permissible to be taken during the holy month of Ramadan – these are the main messages the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services, World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund...

To meet urgent, unmet needs, WHO Somalia donated 200 lifesaving, re-fillable oxygen cylinders to the De Martino Hospital 26 April 2021 - In the last year, while traders worldwide watched as commodities’ prices rose and crashed, one precious commodity that soared in demand and value is medical oxygen. As the Federal Ministry of Health and Human...

25 April 2021 – Ahead of World Malaria Day, marked annually on 25 April, WHO congratulates the Somali health authorities for taking bold and pragmatic steps to eliminate malaria from 6 pilot districts aiming to halt indigenous transmission of the disease.  While the world was grappling with the rapid and fast spreading pandemic of COVID-19, the...

21 April 2021 – Years of conflict, violence and recurrent climatic shocks have led to long-term displacement and economic adversity in Somalia. Currently, about 2.6 million people are internally displaced, 40% of whom live in extreme hardship. This situation has led to widespread trauma, social deprivation and substance abuse, with devastating...

1 April 2021 – On 5 February 2021, minutes after she gave birth to her eighth child at the Hanaano General Hospital in Dusamareb, 37-year-old Zahra’s* heart sank. Her doctor explained her baby had birth asphyxia, which meant she was having difficulties in breathing. She had an oxygen rate of less than 40%, compared to the required levels of 90%...

Stories from the field On 15 March 2020, Somalia received 300 000 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX Facility to protect frontline workers and elderly people with chronic health conditions from COVID-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) hears back from some of the first people vaccinated in the capital city. Spread the message –...

WHO’s work reflects show of strength, resilience and working together to save lives, prevent fragile health system from breaking down and support recovery  Mogadishu, 16 March 2020 – One year after the first case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was officially confirmed in Somalia, the Federal and State Governments of Somalia, in collaboration...

15 March 2021 – On the morning of 15 March 2021, a warm sun shone brightly on an airplane landing at the Mogadishu’s Adden Adde International Airport. After one year since the first COVID-19 case was officially confirmed in Somalia, on 16 March 2020, the country received part of the 300 000 doses of Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccines from the COVAX...

Mogadishu, 8 March 2021 – On 25 February 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) country office for Somalia and the SPIDER Center (based within University of Stockholm) signed a non-financial memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalize a partnership that aims to develop an integrated and digital health information management system (HIMS) in...