By Nuh Mohamed - Reporter
Ethiopia, 19 April 2026 Ethiopia’s Somali region is conducting free heart surgeries on 30 patients to expand access to specialised healthcare and reduce treatment costs, state media SRTV reported.
Officials led by State Minister of Health Saharla Abdullahi and the region’s Health Bureau head Muse Ahmed visited patients undergoing the procedures at Sheikh Hassan Yabare Referral Hospital on Saturday.
The initiative comes amid longstanding challenges in accessing cardiac surgery, which is often unavailable locally and unaffordable for many families.
“This type of treatment was not previously available in the region,” Saharla Abdullahi said during the visit.
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The surgeries are being carried out through a partnership involving Hopebridge Aid and Development Organization, Heart to Heart Children’s Aid and Ethio Istanbul Hospital, in coordination with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health, the Somali Regional Health Bureau and the referral hospital.
Doctors from both local and international teams are jointly performing the operations, officials said, adding that the programme is expected to continue and potentially expand to reach more patients.
Authorities said the initiative is part of broader efforts to improve access to critical healthcare services, particularly for children and vulnerable patients who would otherwise require costly treatment abroad.