The closure due to funding cuts of 11 health centres in Baidoa have left hundreds of displaced and impoverished Somali families unable to access free health care.

Awliyo Warsame Mohamed, 38, expressed her despair over the closure of the health centre in Qaydar-cadde camp, where she and her son had been receiving free medical care three times a week. The facility provided essential medicines, nutritional supplements and biscuits, and maternity services for pregnant women, and child vaccinations.

“Since this centre was closed, we have suffered greatly from the loss of medicines and the Plumpy’nut given to children. Even the biscuits were a lifeline, and we struggled without them. One of my children developed an ear infection with constant discharge and severe pain, but I couldn’t get the treatment he needed. It’s been very difficult,” she said.