Hospital Director Explains Key Achievements and Healthcare Improvements
By M.A. Egge
The Director General of Berbera General Hospital, Dr. Ahmed Muse Ibrahim (Hanaf), has provided detailed insights into the recent progress and development initiatives implemented at the hospital over the past year.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with our sister paper Dawan, the director revealed significant achievements and improvements made to enhance healthcare services. These include reopening previously closed wards, renovating older hospital buildings, improving the capacity of medical staff, and strengthening emergency healthcare services.
Dr. Ahmed noted that the hospital has expanded both the quality and scope of healthcare services provided to the community. Currently, four specialized doctors are working at the hospital, addressing several critical medical needs that previously lacked specialized care.
He added that emergency services have also been strengthened, and medical teams have been dispatched to remote areas across the Sahil region to deliver healthcare services to underserved communities.
Training Center for Nurses and Midwives
According to the director, the hospital has established a training and professional development center for nurses and midwives serving the Sahil region.
He expressed gratitude to the residents of Berbera for their strong participation in a recent national blood donation campaign, praising the community’s willingness to donate blood to support patients in emergency situations. He said the hospital has now stored significant blood reserves to assist in saving lives during critical cases.
Renovations and Service Improvements
Reflecting on achievements during his tenure, the director said, “We carried out renovations on several older sections of the hospital building. We also reopened the male and female fever wards, which had been closed for a long period.”
He explained that a new internal passageway connecting the two main sections of the hospital has been constructed. Previously, movement between the two sections required passing through the tuberculosis (TB) section, which posed a risk of infection. The new passageway helps reduce the risk of airborne transmission.
Medical Staff Training
Dr. Ahmed emphasized that staff training has been strengthened, with weekly professional development programs for healthcare workers.
Four doctors have been sent for specialized ultrasound training, while six doctors and eight nurses received training in emergency and critical care management, supported by the WHC health program.
He also noted improvements in hospital data management:
“The hospital laboratory’s data system has been modernized and computerized using the WHC Health Information System.”
In addition, the hospital has established an Emergency Response Team capable of responding quickly to accidents, disease outbreaks, and other urgent health situations.
Medical teams are also dispatched to rural communities outside Berbera when outbreaks occur. For example, response teams were recently sent to the villages of Biyoolay and Beeyo Daadeer to manage diarrhoea outbreaks.
Oxygen Supply to far Regions
The director further revealed that Berbera Hospital supplies medical oxygen to several distant towns, including Erigavo, El-Afweyn, Garadag, and Aynabo, thanks to the hospital’s oxygen production plant, which meets both the hospital’s needs and those of the wider Sahil region.
Free Health Services for Students
The hospital has also collaborated with Adna Adan University and the Berbera Municipality to provide free medical services to students from five schools in the city.
Additionally, a new building within the hospital compound has been prepared to house the Sahil Regional Institute for Nursing and Midwifery Training.
Community Support in Blood Donation
When asked about the community’s role in the national blood donation campaign, Dr. Ahmed said the participation was overwhelming.
He explained that the hospital successfully met its blood donation targets, with strong participation from regional and district officials, community leaders, and residents.
“Many residents of Berbera regularly donate blood voluntarily and remain connected to the hospital. This is not the first blood donation campaign we have conducted, as we have organized similar drives several times before.”
24-Hour Healthcare Services
Responding to a question about service availability, the director confirmed that Berbera General Hospital operates around the clock.
“All departments at the hospital operate 24 hours a day. Patients can receive care at any time, whether day or night, as medical staff and doctors work in shifts”, he noted.
Specialist Doctors at the Hospital
Currently, the hospital employs four specialist doctors, including:
An orthopaedic specialist
A general surgeon
An emergency medicine specialist
A paediatrician
While these specialists have improved service delivery, the director acknowledged that the hospital still needs more specialized doctors.
Support for Low-Income Patients
Dr. Ahmed emphasized that the national healthcare policy prioritizes accessibility rather than profit.
Patients who cannot afford treatment are assessed individually. Those unable to pay for examinations, medications, or surgeries are fully exempted from charges, while others contribute according to their financial ability.
“Patients who cannot afford treatment receive all necessary services free of charge”, he said.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, the hospital aims to further improve healthcare services in line with the national health policy of Somaliland’s Ministry of Health Development.
One of the hospital’s top priorities is acquiring an CT Scan machine, which the director said would significantly enhance diagnostic capabilities and improve healthcare services at Berbera General Hospital.
The elaborations expressed by the hospital chief is greatly welcomed and quite a morale booster for the area residents and the nation at large as far as such tangible positive developments are concerned in the in the basic social healthcare services are dispensed.