Qatar Charity (QC) has inaugurated the Sheikh Eid bin Mohammed Al Thani Health Centre in Garasbaley District, Banadir Region, Somalia, in a ceremony attended by HE Dr Abdullah bin Salem al-Nuaimi, Qatar’s ambassador to Somalia; Dr Hassan Mohamed Hussein, Governor of Banadir Region and Mayor of Mogadishu; members of Somalia’s Federal Parliament; local officials; and community leaders.
The new facility, situated on a 2,000-square-metre site, is designed to provide comprehensive primary and specialised healthcare services to about 50,000 residents of Garasbaley District and surrounding areas, including a significant population of internally displaced persons. The district hosts one of Mogadishu’s largest displacement settlements, and the centre aims to improve access to medical care for these vulnerable groups.
Equipped with a maternity ward, antenatal and postnatal care units, an emergency department, and an isolation ward, the centre also features radiology and medical laboratory units, vaccination and health statistics departments, a pharmacy, and administrative offices. A solar power system has been installed to ensure uninterrupted service and enhance operational efficiency.
At the inauguration, Dr Hassan Mohamed Hussein highlighted the significance of the centre for the region’s healthcare infrastructure, noting its potential to alleviate the challenges faced by families previously lacking easy access to medical services. He described the project as a successful example of humanitarian and development cooperation and expressed gratitude for Qatar Charity’s contributions across health, education, and social service sectors in Somalia.
Abdulfattah Adam Moalim, director of Qatar Charity’s Somalia Office, remarked on the centre’s rapid development, pointing out that it opened approximately eleven months after the foundation stone was laid. He emphasized that the project responded to urgent local health needs and would serve as the administrative hub for health facilities in the district. Moalim acknowledged the support of donors in Qatar and reaffirmed Qatar Charity’s commitment to improving the quality of life and reinforcing essential services in vulnerable communities.
Dr Abdirahman Ahmed Mahmoud, Director of the Directorate of Health and Human Services in Banadir Region, expressed optimism that the new health centre would contribute to improving public health indicators, especially maternal and child health, and help reduce mortality rates by bringing specialised services closer to those in need.
Local residents and community elders welcomed the opening, thanking Qatar and Qatar Charity for the initiative. Agaas Mahmoud Ali Agaas, a traditional elder from Banadir Region, noted that the centre represented a significant enhancement for residents, reducing the need for long-distance travel to access healthcare.
The Sheikh Eid bin Mohammed Al Thani Health Centre is part of a broader series of health projects and programmes by Qatar Charity in Banadir Region. Recent efforts include performing 40 cardiac catheterisation procedures on children with congenital heart defects and preparations for Somalia’s first open-heart surgery campaign. Additionally, Qatar Charity is collaborating with the Somali Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan Training and Research Hospital in Mogadishu to establish dialysis services for 100 patients with kidney failure.