Improved access to One Health services in Surgudud village, Somalia

Somalia experiences recurrent food and nutrition crises, widespread insecurity, underdeveloped infrastructure, and natural hazards such as drought and floods, which are exacerbated by climate change. Despite livestock production being the mainstay of Surgudud community, the village faced numerous challenges in accessing medical care and veterinary services.

Mr. Hassan Maalim Abdirahman, 60-year-old, currently serves as Chairman of the Multi-Stakeholders Innovation Platform (MSIP) in Surgudud village. Reflecting on the initial challenges encountered in Surgudud, he stated: “There were no vehicles to use during times of emergency. Hiring a vehicle was unimaginable, as it was very expensive and almost ten-times the normal transport cost. Sometimes, even after struggling to meet this cost – a patient would die while still on the way to the town.”

Trainings for community members

As part of the response, the HEAL Project facilitated the establishment of the MSIP in Surgudud village, the construction of a One Health Unit (OHU), and provided training for 20 members of the MSIP, 5 frontline service providers and 5 One Health Task Force members (OHTF). The frontline service providers received training on One Health concept and approach, covering topics such as the transmission, prevention, and control of zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), food safety, environmental health, human health and nutrition.

Veterinary drugs, medicine and equipment

VSF-Suisse supplied the OHU with veterinary drugs, medicine and equipment as well as solar powered fridges and a three-wheeled motorized vehicle for transportation. Mr. Abdirahman noted: “Thanks to the intervention, we no longer have challenges in accessing human veterinary services, as we now have them at our doorstep and being offered by our trained OHU frontline staff “. VSF-Suisse, in partnership with Community Empowerment Development Action (CEDA), has also raised community awareness of One Health issues through community dialogues.

The impact of the project

The frontline service providers in Surgudud are committed and continue delivering integrated One Health services through the established static OHU model, as well as the mobile outreach services, using tuk-tuks, offered in the neighboring village of Abdillohow. The Chairman continued, “ I am very grateful to the HEAL Project. It significantly enhanced our access to One Health services at a central place thus it reduced human and livestock death. It improved livestock productivity – especially milk that is key in our diet and saved us money that would have been used on transport during emergencies .“ With a smile on his face, he emphasized the impact of the project, stating: “In fact, there is a very big difference between the situations before this project and now – It is like day and night.”

HEAL is implemented by VSF-Suisse in collaboration with Amref Health Africa and ILRI and funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the European Union, the United Nations, and other donors. A complete list and more information: HEAL | The One Health Units for Humans, Environment, Animals and Livelihoods project (oh4heal.org)