MOGADISHU, SOMALIA – November 13, 2025 – Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian organization, recently opened Baitulmaal Hope Hospital, a new 30-bed health facility in the Garasballey District of Mogadishu designed to expand lifesaving healthcare for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and underserved families across the region. The hospital includes a dedicated maternity unit made possible in part through a generous grant from the Gates Foundation in partnership with Every Pregnancy, a coalition dedicated to saving the lives of mothers and babies globally.
The opening ceremony gathered community leaders, medical professionals, government representatives, and international partners to mark a major milestone in expanding access to essential healthcare in Somalia. The country continues to face one of the world’s most complex and protracted humanitarian crises, with 5.9 million people now in need of assistance and 2.6 million internally displaced.
Maternal and child health needs are particularly acute: Somali women face a 1 in 14 lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy-related complications, one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. The country also suffers from one of the highest under-five mortality rates globally, with neonatal deaths accounting for over 60 percent of all child mortality. Most of these deaths are preventable with timely access to quality care.
Baitulmaal Hope Hospital was created to help fill these critical gaps. The facility provides adult, pediatric, and maternity outpatient consultations; basic treatments such as wound care; skilled delivery services; antenatal and postnatal care; and emergency obstetric surgery, including cesarean sections. Operating six days per week and equipped to serve 50–100 patients daily, the hospital offers a vital lifeline to communities affected by conflict, displacement, and natural disasters.
“Today marks a new chapter of hope for the people of Mogadishu,” said Mazen Mokhtar, CEO of Baitulmaal. “This hospital is more than a building – it is a commitment to dignity, compassion, and equitable access to healthcare for all. We are deeply grateful to the Gates Foundation and the Every Pregnancy Coalition for their partnership in making this possible.”
The new maternity unit, dedicated to the Gates Foundation and Every Pregnancy, is specifically designed to address Somalia’s urgent maternal health challenges. It provides safe delivery spaces, trained health personnel, emergency obstetric care, and improved access to birth-spacing and reproductive health services, all of which are essential to reducing preventable maternal and neonatal deaths.
“Every Pregnancy is working with Baitulmaal to make every pregnancy safe,” said Marleen Vellecoop, COO of Every Pregnancy. “Here in Somalia, around 5,000 mothers and 25,000 newborns die every year. Almost all of these deaths are preventable. This hospital [will help] prevent those deaths.”
Baitulmaal Hope Hospital is positioned to relieve pressure on existing local facilities while delivering patient-centered care staffed by trained Somali medical professionals. The hospital’s design prioritizes sustainability, community integration, and the long-term strengthening of the region’s health infrastructure. The hospital will benefit from a referral partnership with Jazeera University Hospital, which will help ensure continuity of care and long-term sustainability. Jazeera University will maintain low, cost-recovery fees for services while waiving fees entirely for those experiencing financial hardship, including many IDPs, subsidizing operations when needed – especially for maternal and newborn health.
The facility is part of Baitulmaal’s broader investment in healthcare, water access, education, and poverty-focused programming in Somalia. By expanding medical services in Mogadishu, Baitulmaal aims to reduce preventable illness, support maternal and child health, and provide reliable care to communities recovering from years of conflict and displacement.
“I encourage everybody to support Baitulmaal Hospital, this hospital of hope for Somalia, to serve mothers and newborns in this excellent maternity and newborn ward,” said Vellecoop. “Ultimately, investing in the future of this important country.”
In addition to Baitulmaal Hope Hospital, the charity has also opened a new school, ensured access to free education for hundreds of students, dug deep-water borehole wells, mobilized drought relief efforts, provided fresh meat for Udhiyah, distributed Ramadan food packages, and supported the Bandiradley Hospital in Somalia. To learn more about or contribute to these efforts, visit Baitulmaal.org.
About Baitulmaal
Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to underserved communities around the world, regardless of faith or nationality. Its programs include food security, water, health care, education and emergency relief. A proud partner of the Every Pregnancy Coalition, Baitulmaal envisions a world where every mother and child has the care and resources they need to thrive. For more information, visit baitulmaal.org.
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