For decades, Somaliland had no dedicated mental health department, and public awareness of mental health issues was almost nonexistent. Services were scarce, and funding was virtually impossible to secure. This began to change due to the persistent efforts of Dr. Yacoub Aden Abdi, a psychiatrist who returned to Somaliland in 2019 through IOM’s Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) Programme. After years abroad studying and practicing medicine, he was determined to confront one of the country’s most overlooked health challenges.
Dr. Yacoub faced a daunting situation: a strained health system, limited economic resources, and entrenched stigma that discouraged people from seeking mental health care. State-funded services had long been neglected, with virtually no infrastructure in place. Progress initially came slowly through awareness campaigns, advocacy with policymakers, community leaders, and health workers, and the training of doctors and nurses to build local capacity. Despite uncertainty, persistent efforts gradually bore fruit.
A major breakthrough came in 2021 when Somaliland authorities committed USD 2 million annually from tax revenues to fund mental health services, marking the first formal inclusion of mental health in the national budget. This funding allowed the hiring of more than 200 practitioners nationwide, creating the foundation for a mental health system that had previously been nonexistent.
In 2022, the first dedicated mental health hospital opened in Erigavo, and departments specializing in mental health were launched in hospitals across Hargeisa, Gabilay, Borama, Berbera, Burao, and Erigavo. Since then, over 25,000 patients have received care. Dr. Yacoub highlights the integration of mental health into primary health care as a milestone, ensuring services are accessible at the community level.
The expansion of services has also begun to shift cultural attitudes. Deep-seated stigma that once discouraged people from seeking care is gradually breaking down, aided by continuous awareness campaigns. Dr. Yacoub has played a key role in policy-level changes, including drafting the Mental Health Bill, which is now finalized and awaiting government endorsement.
From having no mental health services to securing an annual USD 2 million budget, this progress demonstrates the impact of determined advocacy and institutional commitment. While Dr. Yacoub is proud of the new hospital departments, he remains equally focused on breaking stigma and ensuring mental health is recognized as an essential part of health care.
In April 2025, recognizing his contributions, the Ministry of Health Development appointed Dr. Yacoub as Director of the Mental Health Department. For him, this role marks the beginning of a continued effort to provide compassionate, professional mental health care to all, restoring hope and dignity to communities across Somaliland.
