Somali National News Agency
So
Ar
Search
  • Home
  • Local News
    Local NewsShow More
    President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Bestows Somalia’s National Medal of Honor on Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh
    October 31, 2025
    Prime Minister Barre Meets Women Leaders to Discuss Role in Security and State-Building
    October 31, 2025
    Djibouti Commemorates 25th Anniversary of the Arta Somali Reconciliation Conference
    October 30, 2025
    Somalia’s Council of Ministers Approves 2026 Budget Quota Regulation, Greenlights Security and Migration Pacts with Qatar and Uganda
    October 30, 2025
    Ministry of Agriculture Appoints Task Force to Investigate Low-Quality Food and Vegetable Imports
    October 30, 2025
  • World News
    World NewsShow More
    Five people dead as rescue boat overturns in Pakistan floods
    September 7, 2025
    Landslide kills more than 1,000 in Sudan’s Darfur region, armed group says
    September 2, 2025
    Search for survivors still on after 800 killed in an earthquake in Afghanistan
    September 2, 2025
    An earthquake devastates eastern Afghanistan, killing more than 600 and destroying villages
    September 1, 2025
    Hamas accepts an Arab ceasefire proposal on Gaza as Palestinian death toll passes 62,000
    August 19, 2025
  • Articles
    ArticlesShow More
    President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh: The Djiboutian Leader Who Helped Rebuild Somalia’s Third Republic
    October 29, 2025
    Egypt’s New Administrative Capital: Ambitious, Smart and Underway
    October 27, 2025
    What We Risk When AI Systems Remember
    October 22, 2025
    America’s Tariff Weaponization: An Economic Analysis of 500% Tariffs and the Inevitable Bipolar Bifurcation
    October 19, 2025
    The ICG’s Somalia Report “ A Biased Narrative Designed to Sustain Fragility”
    October 18, 2025
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    America’s Tariff Weaponization: An Economic Analysis of 500% Tariffs and the Inevitable Bipolar Bifurcation
    October 19, 2025
    Somalia Unveils the Blueprint for a Modern and Sustainable Mogadishu
    December 21, 2024
    Djibouti Launches $57.4 Million Youth Entrepreneurship Project to Combat Climate Change
    November 25, 2024
    FM meets Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia
    October 28, 2024
    President Hassan Sheikh Inaugurates New LPG Storage Center in Mogadishu
    May 12, 2024
  • Sports
    SportsShow More
    Somali Ambassador to Kenya Congratulates Dekadaha FC on Historic CAF Confederation Cup Victory
    September 28, 2025
    Somalia’s Dekadaha FC faces Sudan’s Alzamala Sports Club in Nairobi
    September 20, 2025
    Mogadishu Stadium to Host Star-Studded Match Featuring Somali Legends and International Football Icons
    May 27, 2025
    Arsenal held at Brighton while Man City bounce-back continues
    January 5, 2025
    Galmudug wins the Inter-State Football Tournament
    January 29, 2024
  • Tenders
    TendersShow More
Reading: Health for all is Somalia’s answer to COVID-19 and future threats to health
Share
Font ResizerAa
Somali National News AgencySomali National News Agency
  • SOMALI
  • ARABIC
Search
  • Home
  • Local News
  • World News
  • Articles
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Tenders
Follow US
©2023 || All rights reserved SONNA
Somali National News Agency > Blog > News > Health for all is Somalia’s answer to COVID-19 and future threats to health
NewsWorld News

Health for all is Somalia’s answer to COVID-19 and future threats to health

By admin
Last updated: January 13, 2021
5 Min Read
Share

Mogadishu (SONNA)-Every day, except Fridays, Beelo Botan and her team visit around 30 households in Howlwadaag village, Galkacyo, the third largest city in Somalia. They are among the many community rapid response teams set up by the Somali Government and WHO to help address COVID-19.

“Most people in Galkacyo know who we are, so they alert us as soon as someone has symptoms of COVID-19 or even polio-like symptoms,” says Beelo.

“I really enjoy my job because I am working for my community and my messages may have benefited many people, including those who had no idea how to keep safe from COVID-19,” she added.

The first case of COVID-19 in Somalia was declared on 16 March 2020. The government had been making determined efforts to strengthen its health system, move towards universal health coverage (UHC) and strengthen preparedness through the development of a National Action Plan for Health Security.

Somalia’s health challenges

Somalia, with a population of 15.4 million, is a low-income country. In terms of health, the main issues facing the population are communicable diseases and respiratory infections, and issues relating to maternal and child health-related morbidities and nutrition. Average life expectancy stands at 55.7 years and only 25% of Somali people have access to essential health services. According to the International Health Regulations index, only 6% of people in Somalia are protected from health emergencies and infectious hazards.

Preparing for emergencies in the UHC Roadmap

In 2019, the government, with support from WHO through the UHC Partnership, developed a UHC Roadmap for 2019-2023. One of the key objectives is “Ensuring that all Somali people can access the health services they need – without facing financial hardship – is key to improving the well-being of Somali people.” Somalia is benefitting from the important groundwork laid out in this roadmap, which included a strategy to prepare for responding to health emergencies in line with International Health Regulations (2005). The Ministry of Health, with WHO’s support, used this strategy to respond practically to COVID-19 in areas such as surveillance and case investigation, case management, infection prevention and control including strengthening laboratory capacities.

The UHC Partnership assists 115 countries in accelerating progress to achieve UHC through funding provided by the European Union (EU), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Irish Aid, the Government of Japan, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the United Kingdom – Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Belgium.

Contributions from WHO and the UHC Partnership have also brought about a strong partnership between the EU delegation and WHO Somalia. This has evolved into a Bilateral Technical Coordination Mechanism for COVID-19 response. Through this, WHO provides technical assistance and advice to EU-funded projects and activities, and risk communication and awareness-raising initiatives related to COVID-19.

Essential package of health services

Alongside the UHC Roadmap, WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Human Services of Somalia to conduct a review and revision of Somalia’s Essential Package of Health Services so that all Somali people are able to access health care according to their needs. This includes a set of minimum services for maternal, newborn and child health, communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health, injuries and – critically – pandemic and emergency preparedness, among others.

UHC now and for the future

Somalia is managing a strong response to COVID-19, with a UHC roadmap, an essential package of health services and international cooperation that supports the country’s priorities. Investing in UHC is helping the country protect its population from COVID-19 and future health threats, but it is also ensuring that the foundation is built so that all Somali people will have access to comprehensive quality health care without experiencing financial hardship.

@WHO

Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp Email Copy Link Print

MORE NEWS

Ode to Yan’an: How a Song Inspired Chinese Youth During Wartime

ArticlesCulture
August 19, 2025

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Bestows Somalia’s National Medal of Honor on Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh

ARTA, Djibouti – (SONNA) – The 25th-anniversary commemoration of the Somali Reconciliation Conference in Arta…

October 31, 2025

Nasra Bashir Ali: Women can do like men, just try as I do

Mogadishu{SONNA}-:The prominent Somali journalist Nasra Bashir Ali, urged girls to depend on their selves and…

May 31, 2020

Weekly News Buletin Ministry of information, Culture and Tourism 1 August 2019

Weekly News Buletin Ministry of information, Culture and Tourism 1 August 2019 Bulletin Vol 10

September 2, 2019

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Landmine blast kills 2 SNA soldiers in Mogadishu

Mogadishu(SONNA)-At least two soldiers from Somali National Army were on Sunday morning killed and  injured others including civilians after a…

News
July 25, 2023

COVID-19 deaths eclipse 700,000 in US as delta variant rages

The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 eclipsed 700,000 late Friday — a number greater than the population of Boston. The…

Local NewsWorld News
October 2, 2021

European Union and young Somali artists come together to combat Covid-19

Mogadishu(SONNA)- In a bid to fight the spread of COVID-19, the EU Delegation to Somalia is joining hands with young…

CultureLocal NewsNewsWorld News
June 25, 2020

Typhoon deaths surpass 100 in Philippines

The governor of an island province in the central Philippines said Sunday at least 63 people died in the devastation…

World News
December 19, 2021

Somali National News Agency established in 1964. It is one of the main pillars of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.

  • Home
  • Local News
  • World News
  • Articles
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Tenders
  • SNTV
  • RADIO MOGADISHU
  • DALKA JOURNAL
  • TOURISM DEPARTMENT

Follow US: 

  • MoICT
  • VILLA SOMALIA
  • OPM SOMALIA

All rights reserved SONNA

©2023

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?