Warshiikh, Somalia – In a powerful show of community-driven healthcare, a team of volunteer Somali eye doctors brought life-changing medical aid to one of Somalia’s underserved districts. Over 300 residents of Warshiikh, a remote coastal town in the Middle Shabelle region, were treated during a one-day free eye care campaign held on July 4, 2025.
The campaign, organized by a group of young Somali ophthalmologists and general physicians, offered a range of services including eye examinations, minor surgeries, and free medication, specifically aimed at treating common eye diseases such as cataracts, infections, and refractive errors.
The initiative was led by a collective of young, Somalia-based medical professionals working independently of government or international aid agencies. Motivated by a desire to serve their communities, the doctors funded and managed the project through grassroots fundraising and volunteerism.
“Access to eye care in rural Somalia is nearly non-existent,” said Dr. Yasir Mohamed, one of the lead ophthalmologists involved in the campaign. “Many people in places like Warshiikh have lived for years with preventable or treatable blindness.”
The eye care campaign was conducted at a temporary medical station set up in Warshiikh, a coastal district about 70 kilometers north of Mogadishu. Despite its scenic beauty and rich history, Warshiikh suffers from weak healthcare infrastructure, limited transportation, and few permanent medical facilities.
Held on July 4, 2025, the campaign attracted long queues of men, women, and children — some of whom walked for hours from neighboring villages to seek treatment.
- The medical team provided:
- Comprehensive eye screenings
- On-site treatments for infections and inflammations
- Free prescription medications
- Minor surgical procedures including cataract removal and eyelid operations
- Referrals for advanced care in Mogadishu for critical cases
Patients were registered and seen on a first-come, first-served basis. For many, it was the first time in their lives beingexamined by a qualified eye doctor.
The campaign targeted a silent public health crisis — widespread but untreated eye conditions in rural Somalia. According to the World Health Organization, over 80% of global blindness is preventable or curable, but lack of access to basic eye care services keeps millions in avoidable darkness — a problem that is particularly acute in fragile states like Somalia.
In areas like Warshiikh, poverty, conflict, and infrastructure challenges mean that healthcare—especially specialized care like ophthalmology—is often a luxury. Public hospitals are rare, underfunded, or absent, and private clinics are unaffordable for most families.
The initiative was born out of collaboration between Somali medical students, junior doctors, and community activists who saw the need during outreach visits earlier this year. Funded through private donations and contributions from the diaspora, the team secured basic equipment, medications, and transport to launch the campaign.
Volunteers set up mobile clinics inside a local school compound with makeshift consultation rooms, using hand-helddiagnostic tools and portable lighting. Despite modest resources, the campaign ran efficiently, thanks to meticulous pre-planning and community mobilization.
For Warshiikh residents like Aamina Nur, a 56-year-old mother of six, the eye campaign was nothing short of miraculous. “I was slowly going blind in one eye and had given up hope,” she said after receiving cataract surgery. “Today, I can see my grandchildren again.”
The success of the project has sparked calls from community leaders for more sustainable health outreach programs, particularly in rural areas.
In a country where headlines are often dominated by conflict, piracy, and politics, stories like this provide a glimpse of resilience, solidarity, and hope. The Warshiikh eye care campaign is a testament to the potential of youth-led solutions and homegrown medical activism in transforming lives—one patient at a time.