Align Health Aid with Somalia's Needs, Government Urges Donors

By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter

Kenya, 26 January 2026 Somalia is urging international donors to better align their support with national priorities following the conclusion of a health financing conference aimed at strengthening the country’s fragile health system.

The conference, held in Nairobi, brought together Somalia’s federal and regional health ministers, senior government officials, and development partners to discuss sustainable financing, government leadership, and improved coordination in the health sector.

Speaking at the closing session, on Monday, Health Minister Ali Haji Adam urged donor support to be channelled through a government-led framework to ensure accountability, efficiency, and long-term impact.

Minister Adam urged stakeholders to move quickly to implement the conference’s recommendations, saying coordinated action was critical to building a sustainable, equitable health system capable of serving all Somalis.

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Director General of the Ministry of Health, Guled Abdijalil, echoed Adam's sentiments, saying the conference was held at a critical time when international health funding for Somalia had declined. He highlighted the need to bring together all donors, government levels, and development agencies to harmonize health financing, sustain recent gains in maternal and child health, expand service delivery, and strengthen health infrastructure.

“Participants acknowledged that maintaining and building on these achievements requires coordinated efforts between government and development partners,” Abdijalil said. He also noted progress in Somalia’s domestic health budgeting and underscored the ministry’s commitment to continue mobilizing resources alongside donor support.

The Ministry of Health said development partners supported the alignment proposal, emphasizing that coordinated funding and strategic planning are essential to scale up services and improve health outcomes after decades of underinvestment.

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