CARE health centers in Somalia face closure as funding cuts reduce essential care for displaced families and malnourished children

# What's happening

In and around Dhahar, Somalia, displacement-camp residents are confronting two linked problems: deepening drought and the loss of nearby health services. CARE reports that 50 of its supported health centers in Somalia and Somaliland closed in 2026 because of funding cuts. By October, the health center serving the camp outside Dhahar and 10 others in that region were expected to close.

# How this affects families on the ground

At the same time, the local CARE health center is treating Aisha's 1-year-old for severe acute malnutrition. When that center closes, families like hers will need to travel farther to access similar services. That adds travel time, transport costs, and delays in care — factors that can determine whether a malnourished child recovers.

# Scale of need and service loss

CARE cites widespread need: about 6.5 million people in Somalia face acute hunger driven by drought, conflict, and economic hardship. CARE also says an estimated 500 health facilities in Somalia have closed in recent years because of funding shortages. The closures in 2026 reflect a larger pattern of shrinking humanitarian support even as demand grows.

# Immediate consequences for health outcomes

When primary health centers close, three concrete consequences appear quickly:

• Delayed treatment for malnutrition and common childhood illnesses, increasing the risk of severe outcomes.
• Reduced access for pregnant and breastfeeding women, who already sacrifice nutrition for their children and are vulnerable to health complications.
• Higher indirect costs for families forced to travel farther for care (transport, lost time, possible overnight stays).

# Conditions in displacement camps

# What's likely next

CARE expects more closures as funding remains constrained. Each clinic that shuts increases pressure on remaining facilities, complicates referral networks, and narrows points of entry for preventive services and nutrition treatment. For families already balancing debt, scarce water, and food insecurity, losing a nearby clinic removes a critical safety net.

# Practical takeaways for readers

• For displaced families, costs and distance to care matter as much as clinical capacity: loss of nearby clinics can rapidly translate into worse health outcomes.
• Acute hunger, drought-driven water scarcity, and shrinking health services are converging in places like Dhahar, producing layered risks for children and caregivers.

# What remains clear

Local health centers have been a frontline response for malnutrition and basic care. As funding declines, the options available to households shrink, and the practical barriers — money for water, transport, and food — determine who can access lifesaving services.