Somalia Uses WHO Board Role to Push Health Priorities in Geneva

GOOBJOOG NEWS | GENEVA: Somalia has used its seat on the World Health Organization’s Executive Board to press for stronger support for fragile health systems, as global health leaders met in Geneva to set priorities for the year ahead.

Health Minister Ali Haji Adam Abubakar said Somalia’s participation in the 158th session of the board would help ensure the country’s health challenges, including disease outbreaks, maternal and child health, and emergency response, are reflected in global policy decisions and funding frameworks.

Engagement at the meeting is expected to strengthen Somalia’s access to technical assistance, financing mechanisms and partnerships coordinated through the WHO, supporting ongoing reforms in the country’s health sector.

Somalia’s presence on the board also reinforces its role in international health governance, giving Mogadishu a platform to influence decisions that affect low-income and conflict-affected countries.

The government said outcomes from the meeting would feed into national health planning, helping improve service delivery and resilience of Somalia’s health system amid recurring humanitarian and climate-related shocks.