Photo One. Idhanka health Centre board
By Goth Mohamed
At Idhaanka Health centre, mothers like Rahmo Mohamed Ali come for antenatal check-ups
“They check my weight, my blood pressure, and the health of my children,” Rahmo says. “I’m grateful to receive these services.”
The centre also offers immunization against diseases including tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis and polio. Its catchment population includes many people from adjacent villages.
Early detection of common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria is lifesaving. At the Health centre, mothers receive guidance on caring for their children, along with supplies of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)a nutrient-rich paste used to treat severe acute malnutrition. Children with medical complications linked to malnutrition are referred to the stabilization centre at Borama Regional Hospital.
Saving Mothers’ Lives in Rural Somaliland
Expectant mothers in Somaliland’s rural areas face increased risks during pregnancy and childbirth, often relying on unskilled birth attendants due to limited access to quality maternal health services.
At Borama Regional Hospital, the neonatal unit offers life-saving care to premature and vulnerable newborns.
The Better Lives Programme, funded by the UK government through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), was launched to improve the wellbeing of the most vulnerable women and children across Somalia and Somaliland. In Somaliland, the programme focuses on Awdal and Togdheer regions, supporting primary healthcare and strengthening health systems to expand access to integrated, community-level services.
According to Dr Muse Ahmed, Awdal Regional Health Coordinator, says the programme currently supports the districts of Zeila and Borama in Awdal regions and focuse on supporting critical health services within these districts. These services include provision of medical and essential supplies. The programme has reached and benefited thousands of commnunites members since its inception.
Within the wider Awdal region the programme supports the following.
Within the wider Awdal region the programme supports the following.
*14 Maternal and Child Health Centre
*2 hospitals
*7 primary health units
One of the critical services is the referral of pregnant mothers from rural communities to Borama Hospital for specialized care, including Caesarean sections.
Transforming Idhanka Health Centre Through Climate-Resilient Investments
A significant milestone under the Better Lives programme is the transformation of Idhanka Health Centre in Awdal. Once dilapidated and struggling to meet basic service needs, the centre has benefited also from rehabilitation and construction of the facility—giving thousands of people renewed access to quality maternal, newborn and child health services.
But the rehabilitation went beyond buildings.
To chronic water scarcity—a major barrier to health service delivery—the programme finalized a new borehole and installed a 6-kilometre water pipeline connecting the borehole to the health centre and surrounding communities.
This climate-resilient water system will:
Provides clean and reliable water for the health facility
Supplies communities living along the pipeline, including women and children vulnerable to drought
Reduces reliance on unsafe water sources
Enhances hygiene, infection prevention and control (IPC) in the facility
The system was designed using climate-smart approaches, ensuring long-term sustainability in a region prone to drought, water shortages and variable rainfall.
A Future of Healthier Mothers and Children
Through close collaboration with government institutions, local authorities and NGOs, UNICEF is delivering integrated health and nutrition services to vulnerable communities. In Awdal, the programme operates in Borama and Zeila districts, while in Togdheer it supports services in Burao and Odweine.
The three-year programme aims to:
*Reduce maternal and child mortality
*Strengthen primary healthcare and referral systems
*Combat infectious disease threats
*Expand nutrition treatment and prevention
Build climate-resilient health services
From rehabilitating rural health centres to providing life-saving neonatal care, and from strengthening maternal health services to building climate-smart water systems, the Better Lives programme is creating lasting, transformative change for women and children in Somaliland.