Dr JalaaludiinAbdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed
Contact

AboutKu saabsan

Physician, scholar and public-sector reformer

Dr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed, known as Dr Jalaaludiin, connects clinical medicine, public health, health economics and demography with the practical work of building health institutions in Somalia.

د. عبد الرزاق يوسف أحمد · جلال الدين

Dr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed at his desk
Name in the scholarly record. Publications and profiles use several forms of his name: Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed, Abdirizak Yusuf Ahmed, A. Y. Ahmed and the professional name Dr Jalaaludiin. All refer to the same author, linked by ORCID 0000-0002-6985-1087.

BiographyTaariikh nololeed

Dr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed, also known as Dr Jalaaludiin, is a Somali physician, academic, public health specialist, health-systems scholar and senior policymaker. His work connects clinical medicine, public health, health economics, demography, health-system governance, hospital regulation, emergency response, academic mentorship and institutional development.

He is the Founding Director General of Somalia’s Social Health Insurance Authority (SHIA), where he leads the country’s transition toward financial protection, strategic purchasing, accountable service delivery and Universal Health Coverage.

Across more than two decades of public and voluntary service, he has contributed to national policy and strategic planning, the Essential Package of Health Services, demand-based service models, domestic health-financing frameworks, hospital standards, professional regulation, workforce development, emergency preparedness and the development of Somalia’s national health institutions.

From 2020 to 2025 he led De Martino National Public Hospital in Mogadishu as Director General, and from 2020 to 2022 he served as Somalia’s National Incident Manager for COVID-19. Earlier, he served the Ministry of Health as Director of Medical Services and Deputy Director General, and as Senior Advisor and Team Lead for Health Systems Strengthening.

In academia he coordinates the Postgraduate Tropical Medicine Programme at Benadir University and holds the rank of Associate Professor, including at City University of Mogadishu. He founded the RIYAADA Institute for Leadership and Governance and RUGSAN Consultancies and Research to strengthen Somali-led research, executive education and institutional advisory work.

Request the full CVMedia kit

CareerShaqada

Appointments and leadership roles

Senior public-sector, hospital, academic and institutional appointments. Some academic and advisory roles have been held concurrently with public service.

  1. 2026 – present

    Founding Director General

    Social Health Insurance Authority (SHIA), Federal Republic of Somalia

    Leads the establishment and strengthening of the national social health insurance architecture, with emphasis on governance, strategic purchasing, financial protection, quality assurance, provider engagement and accountable implementation of Universal Health Coverage.

  2. 2026 – present

    Associate Professor

    City University of Mogadishu

    Teaching, academic mentorship and scholarly leadership in public health, health systems, health policy, leadership, governance, research methods and evidence-informed institutional reform.

  3. 2025 – present

    Founder and Chairman

    RIYAADA Institute for Leadership and Governance

    Strategic direction for executive education, governance reform, institutional transformation, applied research, journals, professional certification, mentorship and Somali-led knowledge production.

  4. Sep – Dec 2025

    Director, Human Resources Management and HRH Development

    Federal Ministry of Health, Somalia

    Senior direction for health-workforce planning, development, governance and implementation support across the national health sector.

  5. 2021 – present

    Coordinator, Postgraduate Tropical Medicine Programme

    Benadir University, Mogadishu

    Coordinates postgraduate learning and research; teaches epidemiology, research methods, health systems, health policy and clinical tropical medicine; supervises dissertations. Holds the academic rank of Associate Professor.

  6. May 2020 – Sep 2025

    Director General and Chief Executive Officer

    De Martino National Public Hospital, Mogadishu

    Led tertiary-hospital transformation through clinical governance, service continuity, quality systems, workforce management, and emergency, maternity and referral-service strengthening. Directed the hospital response that managed COVID-19 cases during the national response.

  7. Mar 2020 – Jul 2022

    National Incident Manager, COVID-19

    Ministry of Health, Somalia

    Directed national Emergency Operations Centre coordination, multi-agency response arrangements, surveillance, interventions and continuity planning during the pandemic.

  8. 2018 – 2022

    Senior Advisor and Team Lead, Health Systems Strengthening

    Ministry of Health, Somalia

    Led planning and implementation support for primary health-care recovery, workforce capacity, governance arrangements and health-policy reform in fragile settings.

  9. 2013 – present

    Founder and Chairman

    RUGSAN Consultancies and Research

    Research, policy analysis and institutional advisory work across health systems, governance, social policy and economic development.

  10. 2012 – 2018

    Director of Medical Services and Deputy Director General

    Ministry of Health, Somalia

    Managed nationwide medical services, public-hospital administration and regulatory affairs; advanced quality improvement, pharmaceutical governance and controlled-substances policy.

  11. 2004 – present

    Voluntary humanitarian, community health advocate and mentor

    Somalia

    Service during droughts, floods, displacement, outbreaks and emergencies; support for vulnerable patients and students; mentorship and pro bono technical work.

EducationWaxbarasho

Education and credentials

  • PhDDemography and Social SciencesParis American International University · 2026
  • PhDHealthcare EconomicsSwiss School of Business Research, Geneva · 2025
  • MScHealth ManagementInternational Telematic University UNINETTUNO, Rome · 2022
  • MPHPublic health, infectious disease focusJames Lind Institute, Geneva
  • Exec.Executive Certificate in Public Health Leadership and ResearchJames Lind Institute, Geneva
  • PGDipTropical Medicine and Infectious DiseasesUniversity of New South Wales, Sydney · 2019
  • MBChBBachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of SurgeryBenadir University, Mogadishu · 2010

FellowshipsXubinnimada

Fellowships and memberships

  • FRSPHFellow, Royal Society for Public Health
  • FRSTMHFellow, Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and HygieneSomalia Country Ambassador
  • ISQuaFellow, International Society for Quality in Health CareContributor to international quality-in-health-care dialogue
  • HSGMember, Health Systems GlobalContributor on Somalia’s health-system experience
  • ISGHMember, International Society for Global Health
  • ISIDMember, International Society for Infectious Diseases
  • IAEMMember, International Association of Emergency Managers
  • ISPORMember, ISPORThe professional society for health economics and outcomes research

RecognitionAbaalmarinno

Honours and recognition

Recognition for public service, emergency leadership, hospital transformation and health-system development, including national honours and commendations associated with three Presidents of Somalia, two Prime Ministers and senior ministerial leadership.

  • 2023African Health Innovator of the Year
  • 2023Hero of Healthcare Transformation
  • 2022International Hospital Federation recognition, World Hospital Congress
  • 2022National Health Leadership Award, Somalia
  • 2021Global Health Leadership Award, World Health Organization
  • 2021Africa CDC recognition for the COVID-19 response
  • 2018International Narcotics Control Board recognition for narcotics control and drug regulation

ServiceAdeeg

A life organised around service

Voluntary service has been a defining element of his professional life. Long before his senior appointments, he served communities affected by drought, flooding, displacement, cholera, conflict and limited access to health care.

In April 2020, a Reuters profile documented his frontline service through outbreaks and conflict as he prepared to lead Somalia’s COVID-19 response.

  • Humanitarian and community-health response during droughts, floods, displacement, cholera outbreaks and conflict-related emergencies
  • Voluntary clinical and public-health service in NGO clinics, emergency settings and community outreach
  • Community awareness, vaccination communication, telemedicine and patient education during COVID-19
  • Mentorship and academic guidance for young people, students and early-career health professionals
  • Pro bono advice and technical writing for hospitals, professional groups and emerging researchers
  • Somalia Country Ambassador for the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, a voluntary role
  • Kidney donor, a personal act that reflects a lifelong ethic of service and solidarity
Af-Soomaali

Dr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed (Dr Jalaaludiin)

Dr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed waa dhakhtar, cilmi-baare iyo hoggaamiye ku takhasusay nidaamyada caafimaadka iyo dhaqaalaha caafimaadka. Waa Agaasimaha Guud ee aasaasay Hay’adda Caymiska Caafimaadka Bulshada (SHIA) ee Soomaaliya, isagoo hoggaaminaya dhismaha nidaam caymis caafimaad oo qoysaska ka ilaaliya kharashka culus ee daryeelka caafimaadka.

Wuxuu wax ka dhigaa Jaamacadda Banaadir iyo City University of Mogadishu, wuxuuna aasaasay Machadka RIYAADA ee Hoggaaminta iyo Maamulka iyo RUGSAN. Muddo ka badan labaatan sano ayuu u adeegayay bulshada Soomaaliyeed.

Full academic and professional record

Education, doctoral certificates and fellowships · Download the professional CV · Awards and recognition