Public Health Education & Capacity-Building

Dr. Hawa Abdi always made it her mission to elevate the standard of public health in Somalia, and DHAF is continuing that legacy by supporting on-the-ground organizations that are conducting innovative public health research, public health awareness campaigns, and trainings.

There is very little public health data available on incidences of diseases in rural populations, or on rural Somalis’ knowledge about health. This means that policymakers are not making informed decisions about how what public health interventions are most effective. Community health education has not been prioritized, so there are significant gaps in public awareness about different health conditions, which is exacerbated by widespread misinformation about health. Decades of conflict and underinvestment in public services have made it difficult for young people interested in healthcare to find high-quality training opportunities and learn how to provide community health education.

cutting-edge public health research

The projects that DHAF funds on the ground inform public health research. For instance, our partner, the Hagarla Institute conducts and publishes medical research to identify gaps in public health delivery and improve the quality of available data on health outcomes and under-studied chronic conditions, such as cancer and diabetes. In partnership with the Yale School of Public Health, Hagarla has trained medical students to conduct groundbreaking surveys on (1) public perceptions of COVID-19 and preexisting conditions, (2) public awareness of breast cancer, and, (3) geriatric health needs.

This type of data is foundational to formulating sound and responsive public health policy.  

TRAINING SOMALIA’S NEXT GENERATION OF HEALTHCARE LEADERS

Equipping Rural Midwives to Care for their Communities

Since 2017, DHAF has assisted in the development of programs implemented by on-the-ground partners to train women from rural communities to work as midwives in their home or neighboring communities. By doing so, DHAF has helped open up new economic and employment opportunities for women and improve public health outcomes in rural areas.

Training Young Healthcare Professionals in Primary Healthcare and Research

In Somalia, there are few opportunities for medical professionals and students to get hands-on experience and build knowledge and skills. There is a lack of teaching hospitals and robust residency programs in Somali medical schools, and little attention is paid to topics such as preventative care and oncology. As a result, many aspiring Somali doctors, nurses, and other professionals have to do their training abroad.

The projects that DHAF funds on the ground are helping the next generation of Somali medical professionals access high-quality training and vital economic opportunities in Somalia.