The health sector is an essential component of resilient and inclusive development. Investing in health will set Somalia on a path to reaping substantial demographic dividends from improvements in life expectancy and reductions in fertility.
The 6th edition of the Somalia Economic Update: Investing in Health to Anchor Growth notes that after 30 years of instability, Somalia’s health system is among the most fragile in the world. Somalia’s health outcomes lag in comparison to neighboring countries, and poor health outcomes are underlined by lagging health service delivery. Women and children have been most affected by gaps in maternal and child health services and high fertility rates.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted that investing in Somalia’s health system is an urgent political, and economic consideration that is foundational to reducing fragility and enhancing economic development.
Currently, there is limited investment in the health sector, with Somalia’s health spending at just 1.3 percent of total government spending, which is below the 15 percent Abuja Declaration target set by African Union countries.
Source: World Bank