Like many others, Saeed Osman Gabow visits a Baidoa health facility run by the Ethiopian contingent serving under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, known as AUSSOM.
“I cannot afford the cost of medication,” said Saeed, 39, who is from Al-Aamin camp in Baidoa and is visually impaired. “I am grateful for the free care.”
Each Wednesday, Ethiopia’s civil-military cooperation team in Baidoa provides free medical care, serving hundreds of displaced and vulnerable people. Capt. Andualem Mamo, the Baidoa hospital’s general practitioner, said the “medical camp is a lifeline. It enables us to deliver essential care and medication to many people who otherwise couldn’t afford it.”
Ethiopian troops also conduct medical outreaches in Diinsoor, Bardhere, Qansadhere, Burdhubo, Garbaharey and Berdale, covering Somalia’s Bay, Bakool and Gedo regions.
Health workers focus on vulnerable people, especially women and children, and treat conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and skin diseases. The medical camps help the mission build trust, foster collaboration, support post-conflict recovery and advance its mandate.
“Regular health care is out of reach for many,” Mamo said. “By providing these services, we help people heal, strengthen community relations and support security.”
Mohamed Issack Ali, deputy commissioner for security and policing in Baidoa, thanked the Ethiopian troops for securing the region and caring for its residents. “They are part of our community.”
Ethiopian support extends beyond weekly medical clinics to include donating medical supplies to Bay Regional Hospital, Baidoa’s main public health facility.
Maj. Ahmed Adam, AUSSOM Ethiopia Civil-Military Cooperation officer, said free health care is only one part of a broader support system. “We assist the community in many ways,” he said, according to the AUSSOM website. “During times of flooding or displacement, we work with humanitarian organisations to distribute food and essential non-food items to those affected.”