Somali Mother Undertakes 120km Trek on Foot to Save Herself and Her Unborn Child

GALKACYO, Mudug – Fadumo Abdi Ali, a pregnant mother living near the Ethiopian border, embarked on a grueling 120-kilometer journey on foot with her husband to reach the Galkacyo Regional Hospital in search of urgent medical care.

Upon her arrival, doctors with the international medical organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) determined her condition was critical and immediately performed an emergency C-section. The procedure was successful, and her child was born healthy.

The Mudug region has long been beset by conflict and drought, severely limiting access to essential health services. Many mothers and children are forced to travel for hours along dangerous routes to reach medical facilities, while others are unable to access adequate care at all.

MSF, in collaboration with the Puntland Ministry of Health, provides a range of services in the area, including maternal and child healthcare, emergency services, and tuberculosis treatment.

However, the need for medical and nutritional support is rising, linked to a severe shortage of food aid. A recent study indicated that as many as 3.4 million people are facing acute food insecurity, a figure feared to potentially rise to 4.4 million by the end of the year.