Beletweyne – For Capt. Dr. Solomon Kassa Marsha, Head of the Outpatient Department (OPD) at Sector 4 Level 2 Hospital in Beletweyne, medicine is more than a profession; it is a lifelong commitment to serving those in need.
With nearly three decades of service, he has spent the past three years with the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), providing healthcare to both troops and civilians in a region where medical services remain limited.
“Every week, we offer a free medical camp to locals because there is a lack of quality hospitals in this area,” Capt. Marsha, the Ethiopian military doctor, said. “These people are our mothers, sisters and brothers, so we are obliged to help them.”
The hospital treats a broad range of conditions, from malaria, urinary tract infections and diabetes to asthma, hypertension and meningitis. Conflict-related injuries, including burns, bullet wounds and snake bites, are also common.
Every week, the facility also provides outreach clinics for 10 to 15 patients. It treats between 40 and 60 civilians each month, and serves Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) personnel, Somali Police Force (SPF), African Union personnel, United Nations staff and contractors.
Among the many patients, Capt. Dr. Marsha remembered is a 12-year-old girl who arrived with severe burns.
“We treated and followed up her injuries for four months, cleaning and dressing her wounds until she finally recovered and returned home healthy,” he recalled.
Another memorable case for him involved a 73-year-old man suffering from chronic diabetes, malnutrition and recurrent infections. Through regular follow-up, medication, vitamins and nutritional support, the patient regained his strength and mobility.
Despite the heavy workload, Dr. Marsha said the hospital strives to ensure that very few patients are referred to Mogadishu. Close cooperation with Beletweyne’s local hospitals also helps bridge resource gaps.
“When they need medicines, and we have them, we share. When we run short, we sometimes buy from them. We also refer maternity cases to local hospitals. Without cooperation, we cannot do our jobs,” Capt. Marsha added.
Medicine shortages remain the team’s greatest challenge, particularly as they provide care to civilians, security forces, international peacekeepers and humanitarian organisations. Yet Dr. Marsha said the commitment to treating every patient never changes.
Inspired by his father, who also served in the military, Capt. Dr. Marsha joined the armed forces in 1998, began his medical career as a nurse in 2002 and qualified as a doctor in 2009. He said his deployment to Somalia has been one of the most rewarding experiences in his career.
“Saving lives is my greatest achievement,” he said. “Serving the community, the troops and the UN staff makes me very happy.”
Life away from home has not been easy. The father of three said he missed his family deeply, especially his youngest daughter, who often asked when he will return home.
“It is challenging to be away for so long,” Capt. Dr. Marsha said. “But this is my mission, and I have to fulfil it.”
What continues to motivate him is seeing patients who would otherwise have no access to healthcare.
“When you see sick people, you cannot rest,” Capt. Dr. Marsha said. “Many have no money and nowhere else to go. Helping them is what keeps me working every day.”
As his mission continues, he remains grateful to the people of Beletweyne, whom he described as having “a big heart”.
“They are kind, generous and welcoming. They have become like family to me, and I hope one day I will return to serve them again,” Capt. Dr. Marsha added with a smile, while standing next to elderly patients he had just treated in one of their weekly free medical camps.