The Healthcare System in Somalia: Challenges, Solutions & Somali Doctors’ Role
The healthcare system in Somalia faces critical challenges including lack of trained doctors, limited primary care access, and high maternal mortality. Discover solutions from Somali doctors and the global community.
Understanding Somalia’s Healthcare Crisis: The Current State
Somalia’s healthcare system is, without question, one of the most challenged in the world. Decades of conflict, economic instability, and limited investment in medical infrastructure have created a perfect storm that leaves millions without access to basic health services.
According to recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO), only 30% of Somalia’s population has access to basic health services. Let that number sink in—that means 70% of Somali people are living without reliable access to essential healthcare. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a reality that affects families in Mogadishu, healthcare seekers in Puntland, and vulnerable populations across Somaliland every single day.
The maternal mortality rate in Somalia stands among the highest in the world, with complications during pregnancy and childbirth remaining a leading cause of death for women of reproductive age. For children under five, preventable diseases like malaria, diarrhea, and respiratory infections continue to claim lives that could be saved with basic medical care and prevention programs.
The Core Challenges Facing Healthcare in Somalia
When we talk about healthcare challenges in Somalia, several interconnected issues demand our attention:
Severe shortage of trained healthcare professionals
Somalia has one of the lowest ratios of doctors to population in the world. Many Somali doctors have migrated to pursue opportunities in the United States, Canada, Europe, and other developed nations, creating a brain drain that depletes local capacity. While the Somali diaspora includes talented healthcare professionals, their absence from Somalia makes it harder to build sustainable local healthcare systems. Finding a qualified Somali doctor in rural Puntland or remote areas of Somaliland often proves impossible, forcing families to travel great distances or forgo care entirely.
Limited access to primary and preventive care
Primary healthcare—the foundation of any functioning health system—is virtually nonexistent in many parts of Somalia. People don’t have regular checkups, preventive screenings, or access to vaccines. This means diseases that are preventable in other parts of the world claim lives in Somalia. The absence of preventive care infrastructure in Mogadishu, Puntland, and Somaliland means people only seek healthcare when conditions become critical and expensive to treat.
Inadequate maternal and child health infrastructure
Pregnancy and childbirth remain dangerous for Somali women. Without access to prenatal care, trained birth attendants, or emergency obstetric services, complications that are routine to manage in developed countries become life-threatening in Somalia. The lack of maternal health education, nutrition programs, and child immunization services means that entire generations grow up vulnerable to preventable illnesses.
Conflict, poverty, and weak governance
The ongoing instability in Somalia—particularly in regions like Mogadishu and certain areas of Puntland and Somaliland—disrupts healthcare delivery, damages medical facilities, and displaces populations. Poverty means families must choose between healthcare and food. Weak government capacity means healthcare systems lack coordination, funding, and regulation. These structural challenges are difficult to solve quickly but impossible to ignore.
Inadequate medical infrastructure and equipment
Hospitals and clinics in Somalia lack basic equipment, medications, and supplies that are taken for granted elsewhere. Diagnostic tools are scarce. Surgical capacity is limited. Running water and electricity are inconsistent. These infrastructure gaps mean that even when healthcare workers are present, they lack the tools to do their jobs effectively.
The Somali Diaspora’s Role in Healthcare
One of the most important and often overlooked resources for Somalia’s healthcare future is the Somali diaspora. Hundreds of thousands of Somali professionals—including doctors, nurses, public health experts, and healthcare administrators—live in the United States, Canada, and throughout the European Union. These healthcare professionals bring world-class training, global best practices, and deep personal connections to their communities of origin.
The Somali diaspora in the US, particularly in cities like Minneapolis, Columbus, and Portland, has established strong community networks. Somali communities in Canada—concentrated in Toronto, Ottawa, and Calgary—are well-organized and engaged. Across Europe, Somali diaspora communities in the UK, Scandinavia, Germany, and other EU nations represent significant professional talent and financial resources.
Yet this diaspora potential remains largely untapped. Many Somali doctors in these countries want to contribute to healthcare improvement in Somalia but lack clear pathways to do so. Telemedicine, consulting relationships, mentorship programs, and knowledge-sharing initiatives could mobilize this talent. The question is: how do we create systems that allow Somali doctors in the diaspora to effectively support healthcare workers back home?
Dr. Hassan Munye and the Holistic Care Movement
One inspirational example of innovative healthcare leadership is Dr. Hassan Munye (also spelled Mugne), a Somali healthcare professional pioneering holistic care approaches in Somalia. Rather than adopting a purely biomedical model focused only on treating disease symptoms, Dr. Munye’s holistic care philosophy addresses the complete person—physical health, mental wellbeing, social circumstances, and spiritual needs.
Holistic care is particularly relevant to Somalia’s context because it recognizes that health doesn’t exist in isolation. A woman suffering from maternal complications also faces poverty, food insecurity, and psychological stress. A child with malaria is also malnourished and lacks access to clean water. A patient with chronic disease needs not just medication but education, community support, and sustainable lifestyle changes.
Dr. Hassan Munye’s work demonstrates that Somali doctors can lead the charge in transforming healthcare. His holistic care model offers a template for what’s possible when healthcare professionals commit to comprehensive, culturally-informed approaches. This is the kind of innovation that attracts global attention and resources while remaining deeply rooted in Somali community needs.
WHO and UN Recommendations for Somalia’s Healthcare System
The World Health Organization and United Nations have extensively studied Somalia’s healthcare challenges and proposed comprehensive solutions. These recommendations provide a roadmap for reform:
Training and developing healthcare professionals
The WHO and UN recognize that Somalia’s healthcare crisis fundamentally stems from insufficient trained personnel. Solutions include:
Government-funded healthcare training programs that develop Somali doctors, nurses, midwives, and other healthcare workers locally. These programs must be sustained and adequately resourced to create a pipeline of qualified professionals who can work throughout Mogadishu, Puntland, Somaliland, and rural areas.
International partnerships with medical schools in countries hosting the Somali diaspora—universities in the US, Canada, and EU nations—can provide mentorship, curriculum support, and training opportunities. Somali doctors already practicing in these countries can serve as educators and role models.
UNICEF’s community health worker programs train and equip local community members to deliver basic health services and health education in their own communities. These workers serve as bridges between formal healthcare systems and populations that lack access. In Somalia, where formal healthcare infrastructure is limited, community health workers are often the first and sometimes only point of contact for healthcare.
WHO’s national training programs focus on developing healthcare professional capacity at the national level, with support for specialized training in areas like maternal health, infectious disease management, and emergency care.
Strengthening primary and preventive care systems
Prevention is far more cost-effective than treating advanced disease. Key initiatives include:
National immunization programs that expand vaccine coverage, protecting children against preventable diseases like measles, polio, and whooping cough. Increased immunization rates in Somalia would dramatically reduce childhood mortality.
Health education campaigns that teach Somali communities about disease prevention, nutrition, hygiene, and healthy behaviors. These campaigns must be culturally appropriate and delivered through trusted community channels.
Investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, recognizing that many diseases in Somalia stem from unsafe water and poor sanitation. This is preventive medicine at its most fundamental level.
Prioritizing maternal and child health
Maternal and child health programs must include prenatal care services that identify and manage pregnancy complications early. Maternal health education ensures that women understand warning signs and know when to seek care. Skilled birth attendance—having trained midwives or doctors present at delivery—is essential for reducing maternal mortality. Child health services including vaccination programs, nutrition support, and treatment of childhood illnesses save lives.
Expanding telemedicine and digital health
Telemedicine represents a transformative opportunity for Somalia’s healthcare system. By leveraging technology, telemedicine can:
Connect patients in remote areas of Puntland and Somaliland with qualified healthcare providers in Mogadishu, other Somali cities, or internationally. A farmer in a remote village can consult with a Somali doctor in Canada or the US via video call, accessing expertise that would otherwise be completely unavailable.
Bridge the expertise gap by allowing Somali doctors in the diaspora—particularly in the United States, Canada, and European Union—to provide consultations, mentorship, and clinical guidance to healthcare workers in Somalia.
Reduce costs by eliminating travel requirements and enabling asynchronous communication (like secure messaging) between patients and providers.
Enable health monitoring for chronic disease patients, allowing doctors to track conditions and adjust treatment without requiring frequent in-person visits.
Telemedicine partnerships between Somalia and diaspora communities in the US, Canada, and EU are already beginning. UN support for these initiatives, combined with investment in basic connectivity infrastructure, could expand access dramatically.
The Real-World Impact: Healthcare in Different Regions
Mogadishu: Somalia’s Healthcare Hub
As Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu has the most developed healthcare infrastructure, yet challenges remain severe. Hospitals exist but lack equipment and trained staff. Healthcare access depends heavily on ability to pay. Conflict continues to disrupt services periodically. Yet Mogadishu also serves as the base for many healthcare organizations and NGOs working throughout Somalia.
Puntland: Remote Challenges
Puntland, an autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, faces particular challenges in healthcare access outside its main cities. Rural areas lack healthcare facilities entirely. Finding a Somali doctor in remote Puntland requires traveling significant distances. Yet Puntland has shown capacity for healthcare innovation, and diaspora connections from Somali professionals in the US, Canada, and Europe could be mobilized to support improvement.
Somaliland: Building Systems from Scratch
Somaliland, the northwestern region, has worked to establish independent governance structures including healthcare systems. This presents both challenges and opportunities—the need to build from limited resources, but also the opportunity to design systems based on best practices rather than trying to reform entrenched problems.
How to Find a Somali Doctor: Leveraging Diaspora Networks
If you’re seeking healthcare from a Somali doctor—whether for cultural comfort, language preference, or specific health concerns—several strategies can help:
Organizations connecting diaspora healthcare professionals to communities, including telemedicine platforms and professional networks. Many Somali doctors in the US, Canada, and EU are actively seeking opportunities to serve their communities.
Community networks and cultural organizations in Somali diaspora communities can provide referrals to healthcare professionals. The Somali communities in Minneapolis, Toronto, London, and other major cities often have established networks.
Online platforms and professional directories that list Somali healthcare providers. LinkedIn and professional medical directories increasingly include geographic and specialty filters.
Advocacy organizations focused on Somali health equity often maintain networks of committed healthcare professionals.
Holistic Care: A Model for Somalia’s Healthcare Future
Holistic care represents a paradigm shift from traditional disease-focused medical models. Rather than treating isolated symptoms, holistic care addresses:
Physical health through evidence-based medical care, nutrition, and exercise
Mental and emotional wellbeing, recognizing that psychological stress and trauma profoundly affect health outcomes
Social determinants including poverty, housing, education, and community support
Spiritual and cultural dimensions, honoring the importance of faith and cultural practices in Somali communities
Environmental factors including food security, water quality, and safety
This approach is particularly powerful in the Somali context because it acknowledges that health challenges are interconnected with broader life circumstances. A Somali woman with hypertension needs medication, but she also needs food security, stress reduction, community support, and culturally-appropriate care that respects her values.
Dr. Hassan Munye’s work in bringing holistic care to Somalia demonstrates that this approach is viable even in resource-constrained settings. By training Somali doctors and healthcare workers in holistic frameworks, we can develop healthcare systems that are not just medically effective but culturally respectful and community-centered.
The Path Forward: What Needs to Happen
Several critical steps must occur for Somalia’s healthcare system to improve:
Sustained funding and political commitment from the Somali government, international organizations, and donor nations. Healthcare improvement requires consistent resources over years and decades, not sporadic interventions.
Healthcare workforce development through training programs that produce Somali doctors, nurses, and health workers who choose to work in Somalia. This requires competitive compensation, working conditions, and career development opportunities that make staying in Somalia viable.
Diaspora engagement that mobilizes the talent and resources of Somali healthcare professionals in the United States, Canada, and European Union. Creating formal pathways for diaspora doctors to contribute—through telemedicine, teaching, research, and mentorship—could significantly accelerate improvement.
Infrastructure investment in hospitals, clinics, diagnostic equipment, and supply chains so that healthcare workers have the tools they need.
Community engagement that treats Somali communities as partners in healthcare improvement, not passive recipients of external programs. Holistic care and community health worker models exemplify this approach.
Technology adoption including telemedicine, electronic health records, and health information systems that improve coordination and access.
Conclusion: Healthcare as a Human Right
Somalia’s healthcare crisis is severe, but it is not insurmountable. The solutions exist. The expertise exists—both in Somalia and within the Somali diaspora across the United States, Canada, and the European Union. The models exist, as demonstrated by innovators like Dr. Hassan Munye pioneering holistic care approaches.
What’s required now is coordinated action, sustained commitment, and a recognition that every Somali person—whether living in Mogadishu, Puntland, Somaliland, or as part of the diaspora in North America or Europe—deserves access to quality healthcare.
For Somali doctors and healthcare professionals reading this: your expertise is needed. Whether you’re based in the US, Canada, Europe, or Somalia itself, you have a role to play in healthcare transformation. For policymakers and donors: Somalia’s healthcare improvement is possible and necessary. For the Somali community globally: healthcare is a human right that we must collectively fight for.
The time to act is now. Somalia’s health depends on it.
