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Somalia: MSF helps address protracted humanitarian crisis in Baidoa
Somalia: MSF helps address protracted humanitarian crisis in Baidoa
By Abdulkareem Yakubu
“Baidoa has been a place where MSF worked for a long time. Today it is struggling with a large number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). There are about 1.1 million people in Baidoa and its surroundings. Of those, nearly 740,000 are IDPs and the conditions they are struggling with are profound”, said Dr Tammam Aloudat, president of MSF in the Netherlands.
Today an estimated four million people, or one in five of the population of Somalia, face emergency food insecurity, 3.8 million people are displaced from their homes, and 1.7 million children under five are acutely malnourished. The protracted humanitarian crisis behind these shocking figures is a result of ongoing conflict, climate-related disasters such as floods and droughts, recurrent outbreaks of infectious diseases and high levels of poverty.
In 2023, Somalia’s second city, Baidoa, suffered extreme climatic conditions, including the worst drought in 40 years and floods related to El-Niño – a climate phenomenon associated with extreme weather events. Baidoa large numbers of displaced people – around 740,000 of the city’s one million inhabitants have been displaced from elsewhere in the country – and continues to receive new arrivals, with more than 27,049 displaced people arriving in Baidoa already this year. This has put a massive strain on the city’s already limited resources, particularly on water and sanitation services. As the rainy season approaches, the risks increase of outbreaks of waterborne diseases, including cholera outbreaks.
When they fall sick or need medical care, many displaced people in Baidoa struggle to reach a health facility. “My sister was having labour pains but I could not take her to hospital to get medical care,” says a 23-year-old woman living in a camp in Baidoa. “Our biggest challenges are travelling on roads made impassable by flooding and insecurity as well as the high cost of transport. We need better access to hospital through ambulance services and good roads.”
Maternal and infant mortality rates in Somalia are among the highest in the world, largely due to people’s limited access to medical care, exacerbated by droughts, floods and heightened conflict. Displaced women and children living in camps are particularly at risk. With only two hospitals in Baidoa catering to the growing number of displaced people, there is an urgent need to strengthen primary health services to enable pregnant women to access essential care, reduce late referrals and encourage women to give birth in medical facilities rather than in potentially unsafe conditions in their homes or shelters.
MSF has been supporting Bay regional hospital in Baidoa since May 2018 to address the healthcare needs of women and children, reduce infant and paediatric mortality, and prepare for potential disease outbreaks. MSF teams provide a range of medical services to mothers and children in the hospital as well as through community-based clinics and through vaccination campaigns targeting pregnant women and newborn babies.
“We are making our services more efficient by building semi-permanent structures in seven outreach locations, where we are providing basic antenatal care, treatment for diarrhoea, respiratory tract infections and malaria, health promotion activities and referrals,” says MSF head of programmes Dr Pitchou Kayembe.
It is not only in Baidoa that health services are struggling. The humanitarian crisis and the rising numbers of displaced people are putting pressure countrywide on healthcare providers, including aid organisations. As well as increased patient numbers and growing costs, the provision of medical and humanitarian aid has been disrupted by insecurity.
“We urge all humanitarian organisations in Baidoa to work in a coordinated manner to address the unmet needs of displaced people in terms of food, shelter, clean water and access to healthcare, and to invest more in strengthening capacity to respond ahead of the upcoming rainy season,” adds Dr Kayembe.
According to UN-OCHA, 6.9 million people in Somalia need humanitarian assistance in 2024, including 5.2 million targeted for aid. The humanitarian response plan necessitates $1.6 billion in funding, currently experiencing a funding gap of $1.4 billion. The few humanitarian organisations in Southwest state of Somalia that are addressing the needs of displaced people lack funding and require better coordination to optimise the available resources.
Despite cuts in humanitarian funding observed in Somalia, MSF remains committed to continuing its work in Somalia, with a focus on Southwest state, which has just one referral hospital and two general hospitals for the entire region.
“We are seeing lots of media coverage about emergencies like Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, all of which are catastrophic and require humanitarian assistance and attention, but that must not come at the cost of less visible emergencies or continued protracted crises such as that in Somalia,” concluded the President of MSF- Netherlands, Dr Tammam Aloudat.
ENDS
Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organisation dedicated to providing medical assistance to populations in distress, including victims of natural and manmade disasters and armed conflict. For more than four decades, MSF has helped address the humanitarian and health needs of Somali communities. In 2023, MSF teams worked in Hargeisa, Sool, Galkacyo North, Galkacyo South, Baidoa and Dhobley, treating more than 2,000 children for malnutrition, 15,635 patients for acute watery diarrhoea and providing 204,531 outpatient consultations. Currently, MSF teams are actively engaged in responding to health needs in Galkacyo North, Galkacyo South and Baidoa.
Abdulkareem Yakubu, is the Field Communication Officer at MSF and could be reached on:
Email: comms-officer@somalia.msf.org
Phone: +254 702 069 958

Somalia: MSF helps address protracted humanitarian crisis in Baidoa
News
National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure
National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure
By Comrade Philip Ikodor
The National Progressive Hub (NPH), a leading support group for the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on all Nigerians to rally behind President Ahmed Bola Tinubu GCFR for a successful second term in office come 2027.

In a statement, National Coordinator/Convener, Honorable Bukie Okangbe, praised the APC administration for its efforts towards nation-building and economic stability. Okangbe highlighted the NPH’s previous support for President Tinubu, including a National Security and Endorsement event in 2022 that contributed to the party’s successful general election outcome.
The NPH is gearing up for a Grand Endorsement event for President Tinubu’s second term, scheduled to hold on February 26th at the Musa Yaradua Center, CBD, Abuja. The event will also feature the inauguration of 36 state coordinators, including the FCT, and address critical national issues.
“We invite everyone to join us at this significant event,” Okangbe said. “Your presence will be a testament to our collective commitment to Nigeria’s progress and the APC’s vision for a better future.”
The event promises to be a landmark occasion, showcasing the NPH’s dedication to the APC and President Tinubu’s leadership.
National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure
News
Borno: Zulum distributes farm tools, commissions school in Damasak
Borno: Zulum distributes farm tools, commissions school in Damasak
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Sunday, distributed farm tools to farmers and commissioned a new high Islamic school in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area.
Governor Zulum was accompanied by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari.

Zulum’s agricultural intervention aimed to boost dry-season farming and enhance the livelihoods of returnees who are gradually resettling in the community.
Zulum said, “From the beginning of this administration, dry season irrigation farming was adopted as a strategic component of the state’s food security framework. Recognising the limitations of rain-fed agriculture in the context of climate variability, insecurity, and population growth, the government implemented a dual-season production strategy to ensure year-round farming.”

He added, “Today’s distribution of 1,000 solar-powered water pumps and 200 complete tubewell drilling kits build upon earlier targeted interventions in Damasak and surrounding communities, including irrigation infrastructure development, mechanisation services, farmer-training, cooperative support, and security stabilisation measures.”
He stated, “The state remains aligned with the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit and continues collaboration with relevant Federal Ministries and development partners to strengthen agricultural productivity, processing, and market integration.”

At the commissioning of the newly constructed high Islamic school, Zulum noted, “the commissioning of the Higher Islamic College, Damasak, represents a major milestone in the state government’s policy to expand and modernise sangaya education across Borno State. This intervention reflects our commitment to building an inclusive education system that integrates spiritual development with academic and vocational advancement.”
“All Higher Islamic Colleges operate under the approved curriculum of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), enabling students to obtain O-Level equivalent certification and pursue further education where desired.”
In his remarks, the commissioner of education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, underscores Governor Zulum’s giant strides, stating, “this institution forms part of a wider education recovery and expansion programme implemented across Borno State. Under the leadership of His Excellency,”
“The state has constructed One Hundred and Four (104) Mega Schools, rehabilitated and remodelled One Thousand and Eighty-Seven (1,087) classrooms, executed major works in forty (40) additional schools, restored thirty (30) flood-affected schools, and delivered numerous classroom projects through the State Universal Basic Education Board.”

“These strategic investments have yielded measurable progress. The number of out-of-school children has declined significantly from approximately 2.2 million to fewer than Eight Hundred Thousand (800,000). Current enrolment for the 2025 academic year stands at One Million Four Hundred and Eighteen thousand two hundred and seventy-nine (1,418,279) learners, with further increases expected as Women Leader, Hajiya Fati Alkali Kakenna.
Borno: Zulum distributes farm tools, commissions school in Damasak
News
Air-ground offensive foils Kukawa attack, destroys gun trucks
Air-ground offensive foils Kukawa attack, destroys gun trucks
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops have thwarted a coordinated multi-pronged terrorist assault on positions in Kukawa after a prolonged overnight battle supported by air strikes.
Military sources said the attackers, mounted on gun trucks, motorcycles and on foot, launched the assault from multiple directions late on Feb. 20.

Troops mounted a determined defence, engaging the insurgents in intense combat that lasted into the early hours of Feb. 21 before forcing them to withdraw while dragging away casualties.
Air strikes later destroyed one gun truck and several motorcycles carrying fleeing fighters, neutralising additional terrorists.

During follow-up exploitation, troops recovered 13 AK-47 rifles, 16 loaded magazines, three handheld radios, and other items believed to have been used by the attackers, as well as evidence of casualties evacuated by the group.
One soldier was killed during the encounter, while some equipment was damaged by rocket fire. Injured personnel were evacuated and are reported to be in stable condition.
Military authorities said the coordinated operations demonstrated sustained pressure on insurgent elements and continued efforts to degrade their combat capability across the theatre.
Air-ground offensive foils Kukawa attack, destroys gun trucks
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