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         As we remember our mothers and fathers whether living or deceased, we can only continue to marvel at the life and work of Edna Adan Ismail, who is truly the mother of women’s health care in Somaliland. Still going strong at the age of 86, Edna is recognized internationally as a

By now our readers will surely know that Edna Adan Ismail was awarded the 2023 TempletonPrize “in recognition of her extraordinary efforts to harness the power of the sciences to affirm the dignity of women and help them to flourish physically and spiritually”. The prestigious prize is now fifty years old—Mother Teresa was its first

When Edna’s Maternity Hospital was founded some 25 years ago, its primary mission was to help reducethe rate of maternal mortality in Somaliland, which at the time was amongst the highest in the world. We can allbe proud of the progress that has been made: with improved obstetrical care, expanded training of midwives, andgrowth of

As the Edna Hospital enters its 21st year, we are reminded that what started out as a MaternityHospital has evolved to become a major Referral and Teaching Hospital in Somaliland. Since2002, in addition to delivering over 31,000 babies and performing countless life-savingsurgeries, the Hospital has provided training for thousands of health professionals who now staffpublic

Much news to report in the four months since our Holiday Newsletter. On the downside, at thestart of April a raging fire destroyed Hargeisa’s open-air central market, at the heart of the city’sconsumer economy. Miraculously no one died in the blaze, but hundreds of small businessowners saw their shops and stalls burnt to the ground.

It has now been twenty years since Edna began training nurses, midwives, and otherfuture health professionals, both at her Hospital and (since 2010) at the Edna Adan University,which held its Seventh Annual Commencement on October 11, 2021. In a colorful ceremonyattended by Somaliland President Musa Bihi, 341 students—70% of them women—receiveddegrees or certificates in Midwifery

Like many countries, Somaliland has recently experienced a resurgence of the COVID-19virus, most likely one of the new more virulent variants. While the nation’s proactive measureshad kept Somalilanders relatively safe in 2020, only a tiny fraction of its 5 million inhabitantshad managed to get vaccinations. Now, the new surge of cases has forced schools anduniversities,