Mogadishu — Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister Jibriil Abdirashid Haji has attended a ceremony welcoming 25 Somali children who recently returned home after receiving specialised medical treatment in Italy, including life-saving heart surgeries.

Speaking at the event, Haji thanked the Hormuud Salaam Foundation and the Italian Embassy in Somalia for jointly facilitating the medical care, saying the children had been taken abroad after their conditions could not be treated locally.

He also praised the Italian doctors who carried out the surgeries, describing their work as selfless efforts that saved the lives of Somali children. The deputy prime minister said the children had shown clear signs of recovery and expressed hope for their full rehabilitation.

Haji reaffirmed the Somali federal government's commitment to supporting efforts to improve healthcare services in the country and to promoting effective international cooperation in the health sector.

Somalia continues to rely on partnerships with local charities and international partners to provide advanced medical treatment for patients, particularly children, who cannot be treated inside the country.