Hiiraan Online
Monday, February 22, 2016
NAIROBI (HOL) -The health sector in Somalia is currently in a fragile state and needs attention by donors, development partners and humanitarian actors according to a paper published today and endorsed by 26 aid agencies from the Somalia NGO Consortium.
The Under-Five and Maternal Mortality rates in Somalia are amongst the highest in the world; one out of every seven Somali children dies before celebrating their fifth birthday (137 deaths/1,000 live births) with a higher number in southern and central Somalia.
The WHO estimates 3.2 million people in need of urgent access to minimum health services in Somalia. Every three hours a Somali mother dies due to pregnancy complications; and every hour, eight Somali children below the age of 5 die. As of January 2016, approximately ten hospitals have either been closed or have majorly curtailed their services across the country, and basic health posts and clinics are currently struggling to meet primary health needs.
Funding to the sector has significantly reduced resulting in minimized services and coverage to areas of need. Inconsistent funding and varying interests in supporting the health sector in Somalia has brought it almost to a definitive halt irrespective of there being an immense need in the sector. “While it is important that donors continue to support current mechanisms in place, it is equally important to expand these mechanisms, both geographically, in all those dozens of districts not supported yet, but also technically, to provide the communities with the minimum package of life saving services, from primary to secondary heath care.
We should all act, and quickly. Otherwise, recent gains may reverse” said Abukar Ga’al, Deputy Country Director for Programs at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). NGOs are forced to make difficult decisions in their operations which include withdrawing health workers from high-need areas due to lack of funding, and/or compromising on quality of healthcare to enhance access.
As at the end of 2015, there was a 61% drop in funding for healthcare compared to funding allocations made three years before. Only 41% of the overall funding requested for the 2015 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) was met; this resulted to significant unmet gaps within the health sector. There is now imminent need to mobilize donor support in the uplifting of the health sector in Somalia. Incorporating private investors should also be an avenue and approach that should be pursued.
In addition to traditional sources of funding from bilateral and multilateral institutions, such as development banks and International agencies; private foundations and public-private partnerships should be welcome to play larger roles of resources allocation and provision to improve health in Somalia. Development assistance would also serve as a catalyst for major health system reforms that would otherwise be difficult to accomplish in the current context.
Without sustained attention to provision of secondary services and the creation of a functioning referral system, it is unlikely that a coherent health system will flourish in Somalia, and morbidity and mortality rates will only worsen. “The basic health assistance to millions of Somalis is already insufficient to save the lives of many, particularly children. The consequences of a further reduction are immeasurable and would define our responsibilities for generations. We call for an action to avoid it" said Marco Rotelli, the Secretary General of Intersos Humanitarian Aid Organization (INTERSOS).