Mogadishu — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has appointed Dr. Abdirashid Mohamed Nur Jiley as the country's Special Envoy for Health and Nutrition.
The move comes in response to the severe malnutrition crisis and lack of healthcare access in Somalia.
Dr. Jiley, a federal MP for South West State and an expert in health and nutrition, will lead efforts to address these pressing issues.
The President's decision underscores the importance of Dr. Jiley's expertise in advancing Somalia's healthcare vision, as stated in an official release from the state news agency.
Somalia is currently facing alarming rates of malnutrition, exacerbated by climate change-induced disasters, devastating locust infestations, the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and persistent conflicts.
According to the Multi-Sector Needs Assessments (MSNA) report from February 2024, an estimated 1.8 million children will suffer from acute malnutrition this year, including around 500,000 severely malnourished.
The dire situation is further complicated by the fact that a nutritious diet costs around USD 7 for a family of five, an expense that is out of reach for 69 percent of the population living on less than USD 2 per day.
