Republic of Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has announced a series of immediate interventions aimed at improving kidney dialysis services and strengthening the country’s public healthcare system following a surprise inspection of Hargeisa General Hospital.
The unannounced visit came after complaints from kidney patients regarding conditions in the hospital’s dialysis unit. During the visit, President Irro met with hospital management, healthcare professionals, and patients to hear firsthand accounts of the challenges facing the facility and to assess the overall state of healthcare services.
Following the assessment, the President unveiled a package of urgent measures designed to ease the burden on patients and improve service delivery at Hargeisa General Hospital, which continues to face mounting pressure due to increasing demand for medical care.
Free Dialysis Services Expanded
As an immediate relief measure, President Irro directed that all remaining costs associated with kidney dialysis be eliminated. While dialysis treatment itself has already been provided free of charge, patients had continued to pay small fees for medicines and essential consumable supplies used during treatment.
Under the new directive, kidney patients will no longer be required to pay for these medications and related medical supplies, ensuring that dialysis services are completely free.
Fifteen New Dialysis Machines Approved
To address growing demand and reduce pressure on existing equipment, the President ordered the urgent procurement of 15 additional dialysis machines.
The new machines are expected to expand the hospital’s treatment capacity, reduce waiting times, ease the workload on existing equipment, and enable more patients to receive dialysis at appropriate times and under improved conditions.
Nationwide Hospital Assessment
Recognizing that the challenges extend beyond Hargeisa General Hospital, President Irro also established a Technical Committee tasked with conducting a comprehensive assessment of Hargeisa General Hospital and regional hospitals across Somaliland.
The committee will evaluate healthcare service delivery, hospital administration and management systems, medical equipment, infrastructure, patient care standards, and the capacity of dialysis units throughout the country.
Its findings will be presented to the President in a detailed report that will serve as the foundation for both immediate corrective measures and long-term reforms aimed at improving Somaliland’s public healthcare system.
Government Reaffirms Commitment to Healthcare
President Irro reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening healthcare services across Somaliland, emphasizing that improvements will continue in line with the government’s available financial resources.
He said the government remains committed to enhancing hospital infrastructure, expanding medical capacity, and improving the quality of healthcare services to better meet the needs of citizens throughout the country.