King’s Global Health Partnerships (KGHP) is working with Somaliland’s Ministry of Health Development (MoHD) to improve the quality of the healthcare system, under the National Quality Improvement Programme (NQIP). This vital work is made possible with generous funding from Qatar Charity. In this short film, we hear from MoHD officials and hospital leadership about current progress and early impacts of the work, at the mid-point of this 2-year programme.
In partnership with Qatar Charity, the MoHD, THET and the World Health Organization (WHO), KGHP has supported the Government of Somaliland to embed Infection Prevention Control (IPC) measures and the WHO’s Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Framework (PSFHF) into the country’s six, main public hospitals, serving over 45,000 patients each year.
Hospital guidelines on Infection Prevention Control
A National Guideline and seven standard operating procedures on Infection Prevention Control have been developed. These set nationwide standards for how to prevent and control infection in hospitals and will be implemented in six regional hospitals in the coming months.
National Quality Policy and Strategy
We are also supporting the MoHD to develop a National Quality Policy and Strategy (NQPS) – a five-year road map to improve the quality of care across the health system.
People’s Voice Survey
A national People’s Voice Survey has been conducted in which 2500 citizens from rural, nomadic and urban areas were interviewed. The survey sought their perspectives on the healthcare system and quality of public and private health care. The findings from this survey will inform the development of the NQPS, ensuring citizens contribute to setting national priorities on quality healthcare.
A workshop will be held in April 2025 to finalise the draft NQPS and Implementation Plan.
Universities and medical curriculum
The project is also working with universities in Somaliland to deliver improvements to the higher education that doctors and nurses receive before entering the health system. The country’s Medical Schools are being supported to transition to a new, national undergraduate medical curriculum that meets international standards for training doctors.
National health workforce plan for postgraduate medical education
THET is leading the development of a national health workforce plan for postgraduate medical education which will set out the number and type of specialists (such as gynaecologists and obstetricians) that Somaliland needs to deliver quality health care. A delegation of government officials from Somaliland will visit Ghana in the coming months to learn from their postgraduate medical education system.
