Naima Abdulkadir underscored the necessity of continued financial backing and assistance to preserve and expand the progress accomplished via the surge roster initiative.

Somalia is implementing crucial measures to decrease its elevated maternal and neonatal death rates, which rank among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa, through educating proficient midwives and positioning them in remote locations with limited healthcare access.

During an exclusive discussion with The Eastleigh Voice, Naima Abdulkadir, Director of Somalia Reproductive Health, outlined the nation’s approach to enhancing maternal and infant healthcare services in regions impacted by crises.

Naima highlighted that the surge roster midwives program has markedly improved access to critical care, reinforced service provision in underserved establishments, and renewed confidence, self-respect, and optimism for women and communities impacted by displacement and humanitarian situations.

“The surge roster midwives initiative has enhanced access to essential maternal and infant healthcare services in crisis zones by quickly deploying qualified midwives to locations where women and girls require them most,” Naima stated. “This has boosted utilization of antenatal care (ANC), safe childbirth, postnatal care (PNC), family planning, and emergency referrals, while decreasing preventable dangers for mothers and newborns during humanitarian crises.”

Naima pointed out that difficulties persist, particularly following the conclusion of donor financing. Numerous establishments lost midwives who had been addressing essential staffing deficiencies, leading to diminished service availability, interrupted care continuity, and heightened strain on vulnerable healthcare institutions.

She emphasized that ongoing financial investment and backing are crucial to sustain and extend the advancements realized through the surge roster program.

“With the termination of donor funding, substantial voids emerged in the provision of qualified midwifery care, particularly in remote and crisis-impacted regions,” she explained. “This diminished outreach to displaced populations, interrupted service continuity, intensified burden on already compromised healthcare establishments, and threatened to undermine progress achieved in maternal and infant survival rates.”

During 2024-2025, 115 midwives trained in MISP (Minimum Initial Service Package) were deployed from impacted communities to 25 healthcare centers across drought-stricken and underprivileged regions, encompassing Lower Shabelle, Bay, Awdal, Bari, Sool, Sahil, and Sanag.

These midwives delivered services in both Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) and Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) establishments. They also provided dignity kits and enhanced community engagement, guaranteeing that displaced populations could access fundamental maternal and infant healthcare provisions.

Notwithstanding these achievements, Somalia continues to encounter significant obstacles. Neonatal fatalities constitute 33 percent of deaths among children under five, exceeding double the worldwide average, while merely 32 percent of deliveries are assisted by qualified healthcare providers.

The nation possesses an alarmingly low midwife-to-population proportion of 1.5 per 10,000 individuals, substantially below the WHO guideline of 14 per 10,000.

Assisted by UNFPA, WHO, and UNICEF, the Somali administration is endeavoring to reinforce healthcare infrastructure, incorporate midwives into emergency response frameworks, and offer inducements and secure employment conditions to maintain qualified midwives in isolated and crisis-impacted regions.