SOMALIA—The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), has supported health screening carried out for people with albinism in the Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Training and Research Hospital in Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia.
Health screening was carried out for 35 people with albinism living in the Banaadir region and sunscreen, sunglasses, and clothes were provided for them to protect from sun.
TİKA is carrying out projects from education to health, infrastructure to agriculture throughout the country, and as part of the social responsibility projects.
Albinism, a genetic disease where there is too little or no pigment in the skin, eye, or hair, is taken as bad luck in some parts of Africa due to superstitions.
Moreover, due to misconceptions entrenched in societies people with albinism have a hard time taking part in social life, and people with albinism fall behind in finding jobs and taking advantage of the opportunity to study.
Türkiye’s Ambassador to Somalia, İbrahim Mete Yağlı; TİKA’s Coordinator in Somalia, İlhami Turus, Director of Mogadishu Municipality Public and Social Department, Mohamed Hassan Mahamud, and Türkiye’s Counsellor for Religious Services, Ömer Faruk Arslan attended the meeting with people with albinism.
Expressing his pleasure because of TİKA’s support for people with albinism in his speech, Somalia Ambassador, Yağlı stated that they will always be there for the friendly and brotherly people of Somalia.
TİKA’s Coordinator in Somalia, Turus, mentioned that TİKA is carrying out projects from education to health, infrastructure to agriculture throughout the country and as part of the social responsibility projects, the support for disadvantaged groups has been implemented.
Türkiye, which has a deep-rooted historical connection with Somalia, has gained an indispensable place in the hearts of Somalis through bilateral relations built on mutual trust, friendship, and a win-win understanding.
Türkiye is a symbol of revival and construction in Somalia
Although Türkiye is a non-regional actor, it has presented itself as holding a constructive role in Africa, in general, and particularly in East Africa.
Since 2011, Türkiye has become an irreplaceable partner for Somalia, and this has been evident with several of Türkiye’s institutions involved in ending the destruction in Somalia and contributing to the rebuilding of the state.
Türkiye began humanitarian aid processes in the region with various institutions, mainly with TIKA and the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay).
The health system has been restored in Somalia with the development of numerous hospitals in the region, the first being the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Training and Research Hospital.
Recently, TİKA built a health center and provided medicines and many pieces of medical equipment such as surgical trolleys, patient privacy screens, medicine cabinets, refrigerators, UMKE-type emergency response bags, wheelchairs, and oxygen tanks.
Moreover, the project aims to contribute to the preventive health services provided to Somali soldiers who serve and are trained in the barracks, against diseases and injuries.
Additionally, TIKA established a Patient Monitoring and Management System at the Banaadir Maternity and Children State Hospital in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
Furthermore, TIKA has provided 216 devices and medical equipment including an ultrasound device, echocardiography equipment, autoclave was provided for the Hargeisa State Hospital, which serves around 3 million patients.
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