Somaliland: a self-declared country’s fight against COVID-19

Abstract

Somaliland despite having a weak health system, managed COVID-19 better than some well-resourced countries in the continent by establishing a National Task Force to direct efforts in early detection, surveillance, risk communication and infection control of the virus. The Ministry of Health has been able to garner personnel with medical skills to increase the response workforce and also supervise the activities of medical facilities across the country. However, these measures have shown unfavorable effect on the economy. Somaliland is in active trade with other African countries and neglecting the impact of the virus can greatly affect the trade partner countries. Appropriate relief funds should be offered by capable countries to lessen the economic impact of the pandemic in the country. In the meantime, it is time to reframe the health system of Somaliland and improve sectors that have been underfunded like emergency, intensive care units and the surgical departments.