Tribune News Network
Doha
The representation office of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) in Somalia recently completed a project to furnish and operate a health centre for persons with disability (PWDs) in Garowe, Puntland of Somalia.
The new centre serves 2,250 people with special needs, with QR1,168,475 funding from the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs’ General Department of Endowments (Awqaf).
The opening ceremony was attended by Dr Mohamed Salah Ibrahim, director of Relief and International Development Division at QRCS, Ahmed Elmi Osman, vice-president of Puntland, and many ministers and local officials.
Among the activities of the project are: furnishing the medical clinic, offices, and physiotherapy unit; organising training courses for doctors and technicians about medical equipment; operating the centre by specialist doctors; providing operational budget and medical resources for one year; furnishing the PWD vocational training department; and building the administrative capacity of staff.
In his opening speech, Dr Ibrahim stated, "Today, we begin to offer physiotherapy services under the project to equip and operate a PWD health centre, executed by QRCS with generous funding from Qatar’s Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, and in close coordination and cooperation with various competent authorities of Somalia, to help empower PWDs in Puntland.”
"Phase 1 had commenced in 2016, with the start of construction works, in cooperation with Puntland Ministry of Women Development and Family Affairs,” said Dr Ibrahim. "In Phase 2, launched in 2022 for one year, we provided medical/rehabilitation equipment and furniture for the centre to do its job, will be operating it for one year, and will support staff with physiotherapy training. This will help PWDs to recover, depend on themselves, and improve their lives. It is our responsibility.”
He added, "The local community, both organisations and individuals, have a pivotal role to make such significant development projects a success. This year, our team held an advocacy workshop for PWDs, in partnership with various social groups. According to statistics of the Somali Disability Network, there are more than 14,000 PWDs in Puntland alone. We are determined to continue and develop such projects, to reach out to more and more PWDs, a vulnerable group of priority for humanitarian interventions. We welcome all our local and international partners to address this problem together.”