Mogadishu: Somalia is facing a worsening health care crisis as international aid cuts and years of conflict continue to weaken already fragile medical services. Hospitals in Mogadishu, which once depended heavily on foreign support, are now struggling to treat patients due to staff shortages and a lack of basic supplies.
Many health workers lost their jobs after the United States reduced funding for programmes that previously supported thousands of medical staff and clinics across the country. Officials say more than six thousand workers were affected and many rural health centres have closed, leaving families with few or no options for care.
At Banadir Hospital in Mogadishu, one of the largest public hospitals in the country, doctors say they are overwhelmed. Mothers arrive with children suffering from malnutrition and preventable diseases, but treatment depends mainly on support from non government organisations. Concern Worldwide and a few other aid groups continue their programmes, but they warn that funding is shrinking rapidly.
The health ministry increased its budget this year, but much of the funding still comes from external donors. Analysts say government resources remain too limited to cover the needs of the growing population.
The situation has also contributed to a rise in preventable diseases. Health officials recently reported more cases of illnesses such as diphtheria due to vaccine shortages and the closure of vaccination centres in remote communities.
Meanwhile, fighting between government forces and the extremist group al Shabab has further damaged infrastructure and limited access to care in many regions. Communities in rural Somalia often travel long distances to find functioning clinics.
Humanitarian groups warn that without renewed international support and greater investment from the Somali government, the health situation could continue to deteriorate. Many fear the country may face higher mortality rates and a broader public health emergency if services continue to collapse.
For families searching for treatment, the crisis has turned basic medical care into a desperate struggle for survival.