Community Health Provision in Somalia

Project completed

The programme provides maternal and child health services in Somalia. It works with community and district health boards to strengthen health governance at the local levels, while at the same time builds the capacities of health authorities and health workers. It also promotes innovation by incorporating research findings that inform evidence based implementation. All these elements are linked to the Swiss interest of ensuring long term sustainability in the intervention areas through strengthened service delivery at lower governance levels.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Somalia
Health
Primary health care
Health systems strengthening
Health education
01.08.2021 - 30.04.2024
CHF  6’800’000
Background Owing to Somalia’s recent conflict, progressive development has remained impaired over the years particularly affecting the quality of health services which leads to deterrence of health seeking behavior. However, despite the overall backdrop of poor health statistics, there have been some small scale gains in the last few years in the health sector. As at 2020, the maternal mortality rate was at 692 per 100’000 live births. 32% of births are attended by skilled health personnel while the Antenatal Care coverage stands at 31%. Only 11% of children under 2 years are fully vaccinated, and 28% of children under 5 years are stunted due to poor nutrition. In addition, natural disasters such as drought and floods result in nutrition deficiencies and outbreaks of water borne diseases. All these issues combined with a shortage of resources (financial, human, infrastructure) contribute negatively to the country’s health outcomes. This programme supports the provision of maternal and child health services to boost the shortage of health services in Somalia. The Swiss support to this programme will allow Switzerland to feed its federal model and devolved health sector experience in the Somali health sector. The programme will be implemented across 12 districts: 5 districts in South Central federal state (Adado, Afmadow, Hurshe,Herale and Kismayo) and 7 districts in the Bari region of Puntland (Bossaso, Ishkushuban, Qandala, Alula, Carmo, Ufayn and Bargal).
Objectives To increase the utilization of quality maternal and child health services through the provision of basic health services.
Target groups
  • 644’000 Women and children under 5 years
  • 900 The health staff in the facilities
  • Health authorities at the regional levels
Medium-term outcomes
  1. Evidence-base of successful Innovative solutions generated adequately scaled-up.
  2. Essential package of health services, including Nutrition, Reproductive health, and SGBV case management delivered to women and children.
  3. Health Governance and Management structures enhanced for sustainability.
Results

Expected results:  

  • Direct delivery of health and nutrition services at the facility and community level through the implementing partner.
  • Enhanced capacities of the staff in the health facilities to provide proper health services.
  • Enhanced capacities of local authorities/communities to cater for the health needs of the population.
  • Successful interventions documented and shared for potential replication or scale up.
  • Community events organized to promote nutrition and hygiene practice.
  • Increased capacity of health facilities in terms of infrastructure, equipment and personnel.
  • Strengthened sexual and gender based violence case management at facility level.


Results from previous phases:  

  • Over 1.2 million beneficiaries assisted with life-saving health and nutrition interventions.
  • 491’999 children under 5 years accessed health services.
  • 45’863 women accessed facility based deliveries by skilled birth attendants.
  • Improved and more frequent health authority led supervisions to health facilities, as a consequence of 10 district health boards ensuring quality health governance.
  • Increased capacity and functionality of community-based structures across all the three regions.
  • 6 studies conducted for evidence based implementation.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
  • Other international or foreign NGO North
  • Save the Children International (Sweden), Local partner to be identified


Coordination with other projects and actors Support to Save the Children International complements other SDC engagements in the health sector including Private Sector Partnerships for Health (PSPH) where both programmes work to improve the health system with CHASP focusing on the public sector and PSPH on the private sector. The project also complements SDC’s health efforts with UNFPA, ICRC and One Health.
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    6’800’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    6’345’000
Project phases Phase 3 01.05.2024 - 30.04.2027   (Current phase)

Phase 2 01.08.2021 - 30.04.2024   (Completed)

Phase 1 15.06.2017 - 30.04.2021   (Completed)