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MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services has officially launched a national consultative forum to develop the country’s first-ever National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Hepatitis, covering the period 2025–2030.
Opening the two-day meeting in Mogadishu, Minister Dr. Ali Haji Aden underscored the urgency of addressing hepatitis as a growing yet underrecognized public health threat in Somalia. He emphasized the need for a unified, evidence-based strategy to tackle the disease, which poses serious health and socioeconomic risks.
“This strategic plan will be the cornerstone of our national response to hepatitis,” Minister Aden said. “It reflects our collective responsibility to reduce the burden of infectious diseases and protect future generations.”
The forum has brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including health experts, federal member state representatives, academic institutions, hospitals, and key partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Participants are working to outline a collaborative, multisectoral framework, with clear roles for government and non-governmental actors in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, public awareness, and data collection. The forum also includes sessions to examine the national hepatitis burden, share best practices from other countries, and explore community-level interventions.
Representatives from WHO and Africa CDC welcomed Somalia’s leadership in tackling hepatitis and pledged technical and scientific support to ensure the success of the national plan. They also shared insights from global and regional hepatitis response strategies that could inform Somalia’s roadmap.
The Ministry of Health expressed its hope that the forum’s outcomes will lead to a realistic, measurable, and sustainable plan to curb hepatitis transmission, improve care access, and build community resilience by 2030.
The Ministry urged all stakeholders to remain engaged in the implementation phase, emphasizing that a strong and united response is key to achieving a healthier, hepatitis-free Somalia.
Source: SONNA Origin: view original
