1/13/2026
With generous support from donors in Qatar, Qatar Charity concluded its "Compassionate Hearts" initiative in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
The initiative aimed to perform surgeries to repair congenital heart defects in children. The closing ceremony was attended by Dr. Mariam Mohamed Hussein, State Minister of Health of Somalia, along with several officials, doctors, and the medical team.
Thirty-seven children from six Somali states benefited from the initiative. This initiative reflects Qatar Charity's commitment to delivering medical services to various regions and performing life-saving surgeries, as part of its humanitarian mission to support the most vulnerable groups.
In her speech at the closing ceremony of the initiative, Dr. Mariam Mohammed Hussein expressed her deep gratitude to the State of Qatar, its government and people, to Qatar Charity, and to the generous donors, commending their ongoing humanitarian support for the health sector in Somalia. She praised their role in saving the lives of children suffering from congenital heart defects and restoring hope to their families. She emphasized that these initiatives represent a significant addition to the Somali health sector and reflect the deep fraternal ties and humanitarian cooperation between the two nations. She noted that Qatar Charity's health projects have become a crucial pillar in supporting specialized medical services in the country.
For his part, Dr. Abdul Majeed Abdul Qawi Al-Humaidi, an expert in international programs and development at Qatar Charity's Development Operations Department, explained that the initiative is an extension of a continuous humanitarian effort spanning several years, during which Qatar Charity has performed hundreds of life-saving surgeries in several countries. He noted that at the beginning of this year, the association began by performing 30 successful surgeries in Somalia, then moved to Bangladesh where it performed 100 surgeries, then 42 surgeries for children in Ghana. Last November, 17 open-heart surgeries and 30 cardiac catheterizations were performed in Syria. Today, it concludes its work in Somalia with 37 successful surgeries for children suffering from congenital heart defects.
He added that these successes would not have been possible without the support of generous donors and the dedicated efforts of the specialized volunteer medical team. He indicated that Qatar Charity intends to repeat these initiatives given the increasing number of cases in need.
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The spokesperson for the medical team, Dr. Iyad Ahmed Al-Amouri, said: “Some cases will remain in our memories, and we hope that they will live normal lives from now on.” Dr. Lul Mahmoud Mohamed, President of the Somali Doctors Syndicate, affirmed that the initiative represents a genuine opportunity for impoverished families who cannot afford to travel or bear the costs of treatment, noting its impact on restoring children to normal life. Voices of Hope: Khadra Ali, a mother from Puntland, expressed her gratitude to the benefactors in Qatar after her son, Sanwar, who had been suffering from severe respiratory distress, recovered. She emphasized that the operation restored his health. Amina Adam Hassan, the mother of Adnan from Hiran region, said, "This operation not only saved my child's heart, but it also gave us back our lives."
Abbas Aweys explained that his struggle with congenital heart defects forced him to drop out of school, but he is now preparing to return to his studies after his condition improved.
It is worth noting that Qatar Charity implemented approximately 20 health projects in Somalia during 2025, benefiting more than 113,000 people, with the aim of improving the quality of life and enhancing medical services for the most vulnerable groups.