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MOGADISHU, 15 November 2026 A Diabetes Awareness Week campaign has concluded in Mogadishu, bringing together 44 private hospitals from across Somalia to raise public awareness about the prevention, early detection and management of diabetes.
A total of 44 hospitals participated, including 30 based in Mogadishu and 14 from Baidoa, Gaalkacyo, Kismayo and Las Anod.
The hospitals, members of the Somali Network of Alliance of Private Hospitals (SNAPH), organised various public awareness activities, including awareness walks, special meetings and medical screening services.
One of the campaign's key messages was that diabetes is not a disease limited to wealthy people, as many have traditionally believed, but can affect anyone, regardless of location or economic background.
"We need to come together and address this issue because our Somali people are not sufficiently aware of these diseases. In the past, people used to say that diabetes was a disease affecting the wealthy, but today it can affect anyone, whether they live in a regional town or a village," said Dr. Maryan Mohamed Hussein, State Minister of Health.
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The campaign comes amid growing concerns over the rising prevalence of diabetes, which remains a major public health challenge in Somalia, with many cases going undiagnosed.
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 377,600 people aged 20-79 were living with diabetes in Somalia in 2024.
The figures highlight that Somalia's challenge is not limited to people already diagnosed. A significant number are also living with diabetes without knowing it, delaying access to medical care and proper disease management.
The IDF also projects that the number of adults living with diabetes in Somalia could reach approximately 1.04 million by 2050.