Somalia Warns Private Hospitals Over Treatment of Foreign Doctors

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia’s health authorities have issued a warning to private hospitals after a rise in complaints from foreign doctors, particularly Sudanese nationals, over violations of employment contracts and residency issues.

The National Health Professionals Council (NHPC), under the Ministry of Health, said in a statement that private healthcare facilities must take full responsibility for regularizing the legal residency status of the foreign medical professionals they employ.

The council also stressed that hospitals must fully comply with the terms outlined in employment agreements.

The directive follows growing concerns over the treatment of foreign doctors, with several reporting challenges in obtaining residency permits and facing breaches of their contractual rights.

The NHPC warned that institutions failing to meet these requirements would face legal consequences. It described the move as part of broader efforts to uphold professional standards in the healthcare sector and protect the rights of medical personnel.

Somalia, which relies on a mix of local and foreign health workers to support its under-resourced medical system, has been working to strengthen regulatory oversight amid ongoing reforms in the sector.

Authorities have called for full cooperation from private healthcare providers to ensure compliance with the new measures and maintain the credibility of the country’s health system.