Somalia: Amnesty Report Exposes Somalia's Health Crisis Amid Corruption

Tobin Jones / AMISOM Public Information / AU UN IST PHOTO / Flickr
A woman sweeps the floor at a makeshift medical clinic in the city of Belet Weyne (file photo)
3 July 2024
Radio Dalsan (Mogadishu)

A scathing new report by human rights organization Amnesty International has shed light on the alarming state of Somalia's health sector, highlighting a troubling increase in child and maternal mortality rates, as well as widespread issues with inadequately equipped government health centres, low vaccination coverage, and the prevalence of waterborne diseases.

According to the Amnesty report, the deteriorating condition of Somalia's public health infrastructure can be largely attributed to the pervasive corruption that has plagued the country's health sector. Citing data from Transparency International, the report notes that graft has had a major impact on the delivery of essential medical services and the allocation of resources.

"It is certain that Somalia is facing security and governance challenges. But the military expenditure which is currently 24% of the budget, should not prevent Somalia from aligning its health policy with its needs and appropriate budget allocation," the report states."This will enable the country to comply with its constitutional and international obligations to guarantee accessible, affordable, and quality health care to its people."

Amnesty has called on the Somali government to investigate the root causes of the mismanagement and corruption that have crippled the health sector, and to hold those responsible for the embezzlement of funds and resources accountable through legal action.

The rights group has also urged the government to allocate at least 15% of the national budget to the health sector, in line with the Abuja Declaration, a commitment made by African Union member states to increase health spending.

This, Amnesty argues, would enable Somalia to address the alarming decline in its public health infrastructure and fulfill its obligations to provide accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare to its citizens.

"The military expenditure which is currently 24% of the budget, should not prevent Somalia from aligning its health policy with its needs and appropriate budget allocation," the report stressed.

Amnesty's findings come at a critical juncture for Somalia, as the country continues to grapple with a complex array of security, political, and economic challenges.

Read the original article on Radio Dalsan.

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