Subhead:Built from scratch and without recognition, Somaliland’s healthcare system is defying expectations in a volatile region.#
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Somaliland, a self-declared republic in the Horn of Africa, is quietly building a health system that rivals those of far better-known nations. I spoke with Dr Essa Abdi Jama, CEO of Better Health Somaliland, and what I discovered challenges common assumptions about healthcare in the region.
“Somaliland’s health system has been built from scratch since 1991,” Dr Jama explained. “Compared to other parts of Africa, we are trying our best, but we need support in human resources, medical services, and improving quality of care.”
Unlike much of the Horn of Africa, the major medical issues in Somaliland are no longer the infectious diseases often associated with the continent. “The number one causes of disease are non-communicable illnesses like diabetes and hypertension, similar to Western countries,” Dr Jama said. “We still have treatable infectious diseases, but they are not the leading cause of illness.”
He also highlighted the growing burden of cancer and the need for early detection programs, specialists and research funding. “We see people at late stages of cancer,” he said. “Capacity for oncology, cardiac surgery, and advanced treatments is urgently needed.”
The relative success of Somaliland’s healthcare system, Dr Jama says, is down to geography, climate and social organisation. “Sanitation is good, living conditions are stable, and air pollution is low,” he explained. “We have immunisation programmes and functioning vaccination systems, unlike many other African regions.”
