Starting Life in Jowhar

In a remote area of Somalia, International Medical Corps’ dedicated team at the Jowhar Maternity Unit (JMU) delivers more than 250 babies per month, helping women who would otherwise not have access to safe delivery and neonatal services. In a country with high maternal and infant mortality rates, these services are critical.

“This is the only facility of its kind in the area,” explains Dr. Mohamed Hussein, International Medical Corps’ Medical Director in Somalia. “I travel from Mogadishu to Jowhar several times a year. It’s a challenging journey, but when I arrive, the team is always deep in their work providing prenatal, intranatal, postnatal and emergency care, including surgeries and referral support, to women and infants from across the region.”

The facility receives an average of 450 patients per month, and conducts 250 normal deliveries, 20 Cesarean sections (also known as C-sections), and other obstetric and gynaecological surgeries each month. Our team also provides mental health and psychosocial support to JMU patients.

One such patient is Fadumo Ahmed Tifow, a 30-year-old mother of seven children. Faduma lives in Kongo village, which is in a rural area of Jowhar district, about 7 km away from the JMU. Faduma is currently receiving prenatal care at the JMU and delivered three of her previous children there.

Dr. Mohamed Hussein meets with Fadumo Ahmed Tifow in the JMU triage area.

Dr. Muna Ali performs an ultrasound on Fadumo.

Another patient, Nimco Mahdi Cariif, is a 27-year-old mother of five. She lives in Miirtaqwe village, about 65 km east of the health facility, and came to the JMU after experiencing pain during her most recent pregnancy. Dr. Muna Ali conducted a C-section on Nimco, and delivered a healthy baby girl. Nimco’s previous delivery was also at the JMU.

People travel many miles to reach the JMU, with some coming from the neighbouring regions of Hiran and Lower Shabelle. The facility has laboratory services, medical commodities and ultrasound services that are provided at no cost to patients—which is rare in this region of Somalia.

Farhiya Maalim Hassan, a female health worker at the JMU, explains birth-spacing options to Seynab Hassan Nuur. Seynab is a 27-year-old mother of two children who delivered her daughter at the JMU with assistance from International Medical Corps midwives. She is from Duduble village, about 35 km north of the health facility.

Dr. Muna Ali meets with Nimco and her newborn after a safe delivery.

People travel many miles to reach the JMU, with some coming from the neighboring regions of Hiran and Lower Shabelle. The facility has laboratory services, medical commodities and ultrasound services that are provided at no cost to patients—which is rare in this region of Somalia.

Omar Abdirisaaq Aamir, Laboratory Technician at the JMU, looks for a malaria parasite using a microscope.

Patients wait outside the JMU to be seen by the International Medical Corps team. Once they enter the health facility, they are screened for different ailments, including malnutrition and infectious diseases.

International Medical Corps has worked in Somalia for more than 30 years, creating and maintaining robust working relationships with local communities and authorities to bring relief to highly vulnerable populations. Learn more about our work in Somalia and sign up for our e-newsletter for find out more about how we’re helping mothers and children in need.