Somalia: Puntland rolls out new digital inventory system to curb medicine shortages

Puntland's Minister of Health, Mohamed Abdirahman Mohamed (Faroole)

GAROWE, Somalia, June 14, 2026 – Somalia's northeastern Federal State of Puntland on Sunday launched a modernized digital system to track and manage its pharmaceutical supply chain, aiming to curb medicine shortages and boost transparency in the local healthcare sector.

The Puntland Ministry of Health officially unveiled the Integrated Pharmaceutical Warehouse Inventory Management System in partnership with Population Services International (PSI), an international global health organization.

The initiative is part of the broader, multi-million-dollar "Damal Caafimaad" project, which focuses on expanding essential healthcare services in the Horn of Africa nation.

"This system represents a critical step toward modernizing our health logistics and ensuring the delivery of high-quality medical services," Puntland's Minister of Health, Mohamed Abdirahman Mohamed (Faroole), said at the launch ceremony in Garowe.

The new digital platform allows health authorities to monitor stock levels, distribution networks, and medicine consumption in real time across government facilities.

"It empowers the Ministry of Health and relevant stakeholders to track our medical assets constantly, which will significantly enhance accountability, transparency, and the overall quality of healthcare," the minister added.

Decades of conflict, weak institutional infrastructure, and logistical bottlenecks have historically hampered the secure storage and distribution of critical medical supplies across Somalia, often leading to shortages of essential drugs or the proliferation of counterfeit medication.

Abdiqani Hirsi, the head of PSI in Puntland, said the new automated tracking system would ensure that life-saving medicines consistently reach frontline health facilities without disruption.

The launch event was attended by senior government officials, including State Minister for Health Ali Mohamed Osman, Deputy Health Minister Maryan Osman Ahmed, and representatives from various international development partners.

GAROWE ONLINE