Improper Medicine Storage in Mogadishu Raises Public Health Concerns

[Deeq A.]

The Somali Minister of Health Ali Haji Adan is oblivious to risks posed to the public by improper medicine storage in Mogadishu.

Mogadishu (PP News Desk) — Proper storage of medicine ensures that the quality of medicines consumers buy does not fall below safety standards. This is a core element of public health policies that every country is expected to adopt. Since 1991, when the state collapsed in Somalia, an unregulated commercial market has emerged. Pharmacies and medicine stores have opened in Mogadishu without proper licences.

A market dedicated to selling medicines emerged in the heart of Bakara Market. This commercial change has resulted in stiff competition between neighbourhood pharmacies and medicine stores in Bakara Market.

The medicine market, known as Suuqa Daawada, has undergone several changes since 1993, when the first medicine store opened near Jidka Labaatanka. The conditions in this market raise concerns about non-compliance with expected standards for medicine storage and distribution.

Consumers find it difficult to distinguish between a regular shop and a pharmacy in these marketplaces. The space occupied by the medicine stores is often as small as one square metre. Medicines on sale are frequently stacked like goods in a general store, with no attention paid to the temperature and cooling standards recommended by pharmaceutical manufacturers.

In some of these medicine stores, veterinary medicines and animal drugs are also sold. This practice appears to be decreasing, as some stores now specialise in selling only veterinary medicines.

The Ministry of Health of the Federal Government of Somalia does not send inspectors to pharmacies to ensure adherence to safety standards for medications.

Proprietors of pharmacies and medicine stores interviewed by Puntland Post claimed that the steep price of electricity for freezers or fridges prevents them from implementing proper medicine storage procedures. “The electricity bill for a freezer or fridge in my pharmacy could adversely affect my business. I pay tax, rent and wages. The tax system now being enforced in Mogadishu is biased towards the government’s goal of maximising its revenue. It demotivates businesses,” said the owner of several pharmacies in Mogadishu.

Medical experts are concerned about the lax government regulations, as well as medicine stores and pharmacy owners who appear indifferent to the public health risks posed by improper medicine storage in Mogadishu.

© Puntland Post, 2025

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