11/2/2026
Qatar Charity has concluded a campaign to treat heart defects in children, in cooperation with Somalia’s Ministry of Health, the Somali Sudanese Specialized Hospital and the Mogadishu Heart Center. Held under the “27th Night of Ramadan” initiative, part of the “Dafa‘Al-Bala” campaign, the closing ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Salem Al Nuaimi, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Federal Republic of Somalia. The campaign forms part of humanitarian efforts to strengthen specialized healthcare services for children with heart conditions in Somalia.
40 cardiac catheterization procedures
The campaign provided medical examinations and diagnostic assessments for 144 children with heart conditions and congenital heart defects. A total of 40 cardiac catheterization procedures were performed on children whose conditions required specialized treatment, under the supervision of a team of consultants and specialists in pediatric cardiology and cardiac catheterization. The campaign achieved a 95% success rate, with 38 of the 40 procedures performed successfully.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr. Abdulfattah Adam Moallim, Director of Qatar Charity’s Somalia Office, said the campaign had exceeded its target of treating 35 cases by performing 40 cardiac catheterization procedures for children. This was a direct response to growing medical needs, despite time constraints and implementation challenges. He added that Qatar Charity had sought to provide treatment for every child whose condition required urgent intervention, without excluding any eligible case.
An open-heart surgery campaign
He also announced that Qatar Charity is preparing to launch a specialized campaign for pediatric open-heart surgery before the end of the year. The campaign will address cases requiring advanced surgical interventions whose treatment needs could not be met through cardiac catheterization and heart defect repair campaigns.
Praise from partners and physicians
Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed, Consultant in Pediatric Congenital Cardiology and Cardiac Catheterization at the Mogadishu Heart Center and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at Mogadishu University, described the campaign’s success as a significant medical and humanitarian achievement. He noted that, for years, the medical team has shared in the hardships of families struggling to secure treatment for their children with heart conditions. He added that the campaign’s results had given dozens of children a new chance at life and a more hopeful future.
Dr. Iyad Al-Amouri, Consultant in Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Catheterization, expressed his pleasure at participating in the campaign in Mogadishu for the third consecutive time. He praised the trust placed in the medical team by Somali families and the considerable efforts of young Somali medical professionals, whom he described as an important asset for the future of the country’s health sector.
Dr. Nashaat Kamel Okasha Idris, Executive Director of the Somali Sudanese Specialized Hospital, also commended the campaign’s humanitarian and health outcomes. He emphasized that the initiative demonstrates the benefits of cooperation between charitable and medical institutions in serving children with illnesses and their families.
Beneficiaries share their joy at recovery
Dahaba Mohamed Ahmed, the mother of one of the children treated during the campaign, expressed her gratitude to the organizers and the medical team. She said the initiative had restored hope to her family after years of hardship caused by her son’s heart condition.
She said: “My son suffered from a heart condition for a long time, and we lived with constant anxiety because we could not access specialized treatment. Today, following the successful procedure and the improvement in his health, we feel great joy and see a better future for him. I thank Qatar Charity, the doctors and everyone who contributed to this humanitarian initiative, which saved children’s lives and brought smiles to their families’ faces.”
Ongoing medical campaigns
Qatar Charity previously carried out three specialized campaigns in Somalia to treat heart defects and conditions in children, benefiting 97 boys and girls. With the 40 cardiac catheterization procedures performed during the current campaign, the total number of children benefiting from therapeutic procedures and cardiac catheterization has risen to 137.
Three additional medical campaigns are expected to take place before the end of this year. These include a specialized pediatric open-heart surgery campaign to be conducted for the first time in Somalia. This marks a significant step toward expanding access to advanced treatment and enabling more children to receive specialized care within the country, without having to travel abroad.