Funding Cuts Force Somali Mothers to Walk Hours for Health Care

In Mogadishu’s Garasbaley district, a surge in displaced families has pushed the local health centre to its limits as international aid dwindles. SOS Children’s Villages and the UK Embassy keep the Garasbaley Health Center open, but the World Health Organization warns that over 600 facilities across Somalia could shut down. Mothers like Fardowsa and Fadumo, who once had nearby clinics, now trek up to five kilometres on foot to receive routine vaccinations and treatment for sick children. The centre has seen patient visits rise from 200 to more than 300 daily, with 41,000 visits recorded between April and August. Without sustained funding, these essential services risk disappearing, leaving vulnerable families without access to maternal and child care.