Published by participants in the  Certificate in Journalism program

of the African Virtual University-Indiana University of Pennsylvania Partnership.

The African Star

Homepage

Pictures (GAMBIA)
Pictures (Somaliland)

Group hospital meeting national health demands

Hargiesa Group Hospital, the largest in Somaliland, is offering maximum services as a referral hospital to all  the ocuntry’s services, the hospital’s manager said in an interview.

Dr. Yassien Abdi Arab said: “ Hargiesa Group Hospital is non profit  organization engaged in the Health Sector. As a matter of fact, the hospital is a referral to all existing health services in our city and in the countrywide. We have surpassed different stages and at the moment we are offering our maximum capacities and efforts to our society. We have a Board Of Seven Members who voluntarily control and monitor the overall management of the hospital.”

He added,  “ We are the largest hospital in Somaliland and that encourages us to offer services which cannot be available in the regions”.

Dr. Yassien said, at the moment, HIV/AIDS is a global threat but epidemic is not common in Somaliland and relevantly low according to its effect in our neighbors,” But still we consider it a great challenge,” he said.

“Statistics of HIV/AIDS victims are not available in Somaliland, but we are waiting  official outcome of a research carried out by World Health Organization,” Dr. Yassien  said.

The research involved  screening in and out patients of Hargiesa Group Hospital and Edna Maternity Hospital. The phase of the research is limited to the female, he said.

Dr. Yassien said sexually transmitted diseases are another major pandemic in the country.

“Recently we invited an expatriate specialist in STD but unfortunately a very few people came to visit or consult him although a great number of our people are suffering from this communicable diseases.”

Health services in Somaliland are free of charge.

Asked why  HIV/AIDS screening was focused on women Dr. Yassien said:

“ In our policies we give the same attention to both sexes. In case we discover that one of spouses is effected with a communicable disease we call the other partner and treat them equally at the same time. Anyhow, World Health Organization proposed giving more consideration to the women in HIV screening and we supported it. “