Somalia appoints 15 health council members after Supreme Court ruling

Tuesday December 2, 2025

FILE - Somalia’s Minister of Health and Human Services, Dr. Ali Haji Adam, attends a government meeting in Mogadishu

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s health minister has appointed 15 new members to the National Council of Medical Professionals, completing a legal and administrative process aimed at strengthening oversight of the country’s medical workforce.

The announcement, issued Monday and dated Dec. 1, follows a review of the council’s mandate under Law No. 31 and Articles 111 and 122 of the Provisional Constitution. The Ministry of Health said the appointments comply with recent Supreme Court decisions that define the authority and independence of national regulatory bodies.

Health Minister Dr. Ali Haji Adam said the new council will lead efforts to improve licensing, enforce ethical standards and raise the quality of medical services nationwide. He ordered members to begin their duties immediately and to work with government agencies, professional groups and health-sector organizations.

The directive lists representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Information, along with national associations for physicians, dentists, nurses, laboratory workers, pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiologists, optometrists and veterinarians. The Somali Red Crescent Society and the Somali Blind Union also hold seats.

“The council is expected to accelerate improvements in professional standards, strengthen accountability and ensure the public receives reliable healthcare,” the minister said in the appointment letter.

The appointments follow a recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned the ministry’s earlier attempt to install a new secretary-general for the National Health Professionals Council. The court reaffirmed the council’s institutional independence and directed the ministry to proceed in line with the law.

The 15 newly appointed members are: Dr. Abdirahman Awale Hassan, Ali Abdirahman Osman, Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi Guled, Dr. Abdullahi Ahmed Hassan, Dr. Lul Mahmoud Mohamed, Dr. Kasim Haki Hussein, Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Omar (Dr. Arabshey), Naima Omar Ibrahim, Omar Mahmoud Mahmoud (Omar Yare), Cimam Ahmed Abdulqadir, Dr. Daud Ma’alim Ishaq Aweys, Ahmed Abukar Mahmoud, Osman Muhyidin Ma’alim-Shotax, Dr. Tahlil Abdi Afrah and Dr. Amina Aden Mohamed.

The ministry said the council will play a central role in restoring public trust in a health system that has struggled with limited regulation, uneven training and a shortage of certified professionals.