(25-07-23) MOGADISHU – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announced a decision to withdraw support from Las Anod General Hospital in Somalia due to heightened violence and security incidents. According to a statement from the health agency, the safety and protection of patients, carers, and healthcare staff could no longer be guaranteed amidst repeated attacks on medical facilities. The situation reached a tipping point on 8 July, when a fight damaged the hospital, injured medical staff and caretakers, and led to the closure of the maternity ward. This was the fifth such incident since the surge in violence on 6 February.
Dana Krause, MSF’s country representative, voiced regret over the decision, understanding that it will affect access to crucial medical care, already compromised by the ongoing conflict. She emphasised the necessity for a minimum standard of safety for patients and healthcare workers.
Since May 2019, MSF has been supporting Las Anod General Hospital with medical supplies, technical expertise, and financial support for staff. In 2022 alone, the teams carried out over 7,200 emergency consultations and assisted in more than 2,000 births.
While services to Las Anod are ending, MSF said it would continue to maintain basic and specialised healthcare activities in Kalabaydh, nearly 40 kilometres south of Las Anod. MSF reaffirmed its commitment to respond to recurring health and malnutrition emergencies in Somali communities, adhering to neutrality, impartiality, and universal medical ethics.
