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MOGADISHU — Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Mogadishu, a vital provider of free medical care for impoverished and displaced residents, is at risk of shutting down following reports that the UAE Embassy notified management of a suspension of medical services.
According to reports by Goobjoog News, this move follows the Somali federal government’s recent announcement regarding the suspension or cancellation of key agreements with the United Arab Emirates, further deepening a diplomatic rupture that has impacted security, ports, and humanitarian sectors.
The hospital, which officially opened in June 2015, serves as a healthcare lifeline in Mogadishu’s Abdi Aziz district. It had recently resumed full operations in 2024 after a modernization effort, significantly easing the burden on the capital’s overstretched public health facilities.
Sources noted that the facility has previously been affected by political tensions; in 2018, the UAE halted operations amid a sharp decline in bilateral relations, leaving thousands of low-income residents without access to free essential treatment.
Public health advocates warn that another shutdown would fall most heavily on vulnerable families and internally displaced communities who rely on the hospital for free consultations, diagnostics, and specialized care.
The ongoing diplomatic tension between Somalia and the UAE is rooted in disputes over port management and security cooperation. Mogadishu views certain regional agreements as infringements on its national sovereignty, leading to a cycle of diplomatic friction that often spills over into developmental and humanitarian aid.
Somali officials have yet to publicly clarify whether the potential suspension of hospital services is part of a broader scale-back of UAE-funded assistance or an isolated decision linked to the latest diplomatic row, as calls grow to keep healthcare services separate from political disputes.
