Thursday July 30, 2026
Hargeisa (AX) — Dozens of kidney disease patients gathered outside the North Western State of Somalia Presidential Palace and the House of Representatives in Hargeisa on Wednesday, pressing the government to urgently improve dialysis services at Hargeisa General Hospital.
Many of the protesters appeared frail and exhausted as they described inadequate treatment at the hospital. They said medicines and other essential medical supplies had become prohibitively expensive, despite their repeated appeals for government intervention.
“We need the President to listen to our concerns and support us. The care is poor, and there are not enough machines to meet our needs,” one protester said.
The patients said they had earlier presented their grievances to North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro, but no significant improvements had followed.
Human rights lawyer Guuleed Ahmed Dafac called on the wider public to rally behind the patients and draw greater attention to their situation.
“We should raise our voices and stand with dialysis patients who are speaking out about the condition of services at Hargeisa Hospital,” he said.
The demonstration generated broad support on social media, where many users urged the government to respond swiftly to the concerns of more than 300 dialysis patients reportedly dependent on the hospital for treatment.
Hospital officials conceded that patient demand is greater than the facility can currently handle. Hargeisa General Hospital’s deputy director said there are too few dialysis machines to accommodate everyone, while maintaining that staff are delivering the best care available. He added that more machines have been ordered and should arrive soon.
The North Western State of Somalia government denied claims that dialysis patients had been neglected, instead alleging that unidentified foreign actors were behind the protest.
Health Minister Dr. Hussein Bashir Hirsi said dialysis units in Hargeisa, Burco and Boorama continue to function normally, adding that treatment is fully financed by the government.
“Among the concerns raised was the cost of certain medical supplies, but we chose to make those supplies available free of charge, and patients will not pay for kidney dialysis,” Hirsi said.
Hirsi also said the government had responded to concerns over the dialysis unit’s management by changing its leadership and installing a doctor chosen by the patients.
“This has now become an organized campaign driven by foreigners. Journalists and poets are involved, and it is a political matter intended to unsettle the public and direct patients to foreign countries,” Hirsi said.
He said the government had purchased the largest shipment of medical equipment in its history and set aside a dedicated budget to broaden dialysis services.
The opposition Kaah party criticized the minister’s comments, calling them insensitive and inappropriate.
In a statement, the party said the Ministry of Health should prioritize addressing the patients’ grievances instead of portraying them as participants in a politically driven campaign.
Over recent months, the Ministry of Health Development and Hargeisa General Hospital’s administration have faced accusations of corruption and mismanagement, which critics say have weakened healthcare delivery. Neither the ministry nor the hospital administration has publicly addressed the allegations.
