By Zakaria Soohoyde - Reporter
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MOGADISHU, Somalia, 20 October 2026 — Approximately 11,500 Somalis travelled to India for medical treatment in 2025, according to research presented at the fifth edition of the Winners Showcase Conference held in Mogadishu on Tuesday.
The research also revealed that Somalis spent an estimated $219 million on medical treatment abroad last year, raising renewed questions about the quality and accessibility of healthcare services within the country.
India is among the countries most frequently visited by Somalis seeking medical care, alongside Egypt, Turkey and Ethiopia.
Yasin Ibar, chairman of the Somali Chamber of Commerce, described the amount spent on overseas medical treatment as substantial and called for greater attention to improving healthcare services at home.
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“Indeed, that is a very large amount of money, and it represents a financial drain on the country. We must pay attention to this issue,” Ibar said.
Meanwhile, Luul Mohamud Mohamed, chairperson of the Somali Medical Association, said that not all Somalis who seek medical treatment abroad do so because the services they need are unavailable in Somalia. She noted that some people lack full confidence in the country’s healthcare services.
The conference, organised by Hormuud, focused on healthcare, with participants emphasising the importance of improving medical services and increasing investment in the sector.
Participants also called on business leaders to invest more in healthcare to strengthen domestic services and expand access to quality medical care that Somalis can rely on.