Somalia Launches First Unified National Registry of Health Facilities

MOGADISHU, Somalia — 23 August 2026 — Somalia has launched its first unified national registry of health facilities, marking a major step towards strengthening health sector planning, coordination and decision-making.

The Master Health Facility List (MHFL) brings together standardized information on 1,455 health facilities across the country, providing the Government, Federal Member States, health partners and the World Health Organization (WHO) with a common reference for health planning.

Speaking at the launch, Director General of the Federal Ministry of Health Yussuf Hassan Isack (Yussuf Wadani) described the registry as a major milestone for Somalia’s health sector.

“The Master Health Facility List is a major milestone for Somalia’s health sector, providing trusted data to strengthen planning, coordination and access to quality health services,” Wadani said, thanking WHO and partners for their support.

Strengthening Health Planning Somalia’s health services are delivered through federal and state-level structures by government institutions, humanitarian organizations and development partners. Accurate and standardized information on health facilities is therefore critical to identifying gaps in service delivery.

The MHFL consolidates information on facilities, including their locations, available services and operational status, into a single national reference.

The system is expected to help authorities and partners identify underserved communities, coordinate investments, allocate resources more effectively and improve health service planning.

Before the MHFL was developed, health facility information was spread across different systems and sources, making it difficult for stakeholders to work from consistent data.

Acting WHO Somalia Representative Dr Mohamed Ali Kamil said reliable facility data was essential to ensuring health resources reach communities most in need.

“The Master Health Facility List provides government and partners with a common foundation to improve planning, coordinate investments and strengthen Somalia’s health system,” Kamil said.

The launch brought together representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Member States, health partners and WHO, reflecting a joint commitment to strengthening Somalia’s health information systems.