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Progressing Quality Healthcare in Somaliland

Catherine Setchell

Communications Manager, King's Global Health Partnerships

30 January 2025

King’s Global Health Partnerships (KGHP) is working with Somaliland’s Ministry of Health Development (MoHD) to improve the quality of the healthcare system, under the National Quality Improvement Programme (NQIP). This vital work is made possible with generous funding from Qatar Charity. In this short film, we hear from MoHD officials and hospital leadership about current progress and early impacts of the work, at the mid-point of this 2-year programme.

In partnership with Qatar Charity, the MoHD, THET and the World Health Organization (WHO), KGHP has supported the Government of Somaliland to embed Infection Prevention Control (IPC) measures and the WHO’s Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Framework (PSFHF) into the country’s six, main public hospitals, serving over 45,000 patients each year.

QI hospital assessments Hargeisa Somaliland

The six regional hospitals were assessed to understand how they currently meet the WHO's guidelines for essential quality of care.

IPC and Patient Safety Committees have been created in each hospital. They are responsible for ensuring effective delivery of patient safety and IPC guidelines, as part of the hospitals' Action Plans on quality healthcare.

Improved IPC protocols and standard operating procedures have been implemented in each of the six hospitals

sharps bin and protocols somaliland_780x440

Improved waste management and guidance on safe sharps' disposal at Hargeisa Group Hospital

Hand hygiene guidance in hospital Somaliland

Improved Infection Prevention Control protocols and standard operating procedures in each of the hospitals

IPC disinfecting hospital surfaces Somaliland

A hospital cleaner disinfectants the delivery room at Hargeisa Group Hospital

IPC training for hospital workers in Somaliland

IPC training for hospital staff and the IPC and Patient Safety Committees has enabled health workers to better meet quality of care guidelines

Training for health workers at the six regional hospitals has improved IPC practices

Drugs cupboard Hargiesa Group Hospital somaliland

Improved availability and safe management of vital medication on the wards.

Boroma hospital walk round - QI assessments Somaliland

National Quality Improvement Committees developed under the project inspect the wards to ensure IPC and Patient Safety guidelines are adhered to.

Hospital guidelines on Infection Prevention Control

A National Guideline and seven standard operating procedures on Infection Prevention Control have been developed. These set nationwide standards for how to prevent and control infection in hospitals and will be implemented in six regional hospitals in the coming months.

National Quality Policy and Strategy

We are also supporting the MoHD to develop a National Quality Policy and Strategy (NQPS) – a five-year road map to improve the quality of care across the health system.

People's Voice Survey

A national People's Voice Survey has been conducted in which 2500 citizens from rural, nomadic and urban areas were interviewed. The survey sought their perspectives on the healthcare system and quality of public and private health care. The findings from this survey will inform the development of the NQPS, ensuring citizens contribute to setting national priorities on quality healthcare.

A workshop will be held in April 2025 to finalise the draft NQPS and Implementation Plan.

Somaliland National Technical Working Group for Quality Care NQIP

Somaliland's National Technical Working Group for Quality Care was established under the NQIP project

The technical working group has been developing the draft National Quality Policy and Strategy (NQPS) and Implementation Plan

NQPS workshop technical working group Somaliland

The technical working group discussing NQPS

Technical working group discuss NQPS Somaliland

Universities and medical curriculum

The project is also working with universities in Somaliland to deliver improvements to the higher education that doctors and nurses receive before entering the health system. The country’s Medical Schools are being supported to transition to a new, national undergraduate medical curriculum that meets international standards for training doctors.

National health workforce plan for postgraduate medical education

THET is leading the development of a national health workforce plan for postgraduate medical education which will set out the number and type of specialists (such as gynaecologists and obstetricians) that Somaliland needs to deliver quality health care. A delegation of government officials from Somaliland will visit Ghana in the coming months to learn from their postgraduate medical education system.