Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides) - Somalia is one of the States where the highest rates of malnutrition and mortality rate are registered in the world. There are always so many and uncontrollable emergencies in the Country and recently, thanks to an initiative promoted and organized by the NGO Perigeo allocated through the Somali embassy in Italy and the agreement with Caritas Somalia, in the person of Mgr. Giorgio Bertin, OFM, Bishop of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu, the first container full of medicines is on the road to the African Country. In this regard, Fides Agency got in contact with Mgr. Bertin, who has recently returned from Mogadishu. The Bishop said he was very happy with this first step and comforted by his meetings with the Somalis who want the well-being of their Country. "In Somalia there is currently a state of general confusion with regards to healthcare, the situation in the Country is better than Somali Puntland and Somaliland. In June this year I was invited by the Somali Prime Minister to discuss the situation of Merka and Qoriolei, where in the 80s Caritas Somalia had built a hospital which was destroyed with the collapse of the State. We were asked to take action to recover the area from the Islamist insurgent group Al Shabaab. There are many obstacles due to the tensions among the clans, confusion between the role of the Islamist al-shabahbe and the government. However, I was deeply impressed by the meetings with the Somalis who have chosen to work for the good of their Country, ready to sacrifice themselves, leaving a secure job and ran many risks", concluded the Bishop. For his part, Dr. Gianluca Frinchillucci, who deals with the relations with Somalia, told us that "the idea of this project was born when in 2010 the NGO managed to send medicines in Puntland, made available by CMMB, through the Pontifical Council for the Italian Caritas Health and Pharmaceutical Bank". "Now, thanks to Caritas Somalia and the Somali embassy in Italy we have achieved the same project for Somalia. After contacting the embassy in Italy and Mgr. Bertin, we agreed on the implementation of the initiative. Caritas Somalia and the Diocese of Mogadishu have provided funds for transportation, the NGO Perigee have donated medicines to the Embassy in Italy which will be delivered to the Government. The medicines will be distributed to local hospitals. This is only the beginning because other medicines to be sent to Mogadishu are ready" said Frinchillucci. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 04/07/2014)
