Baidoa, Somalia — October 2025
In a landmark move toward modernizing healthcare delivery in Somalia, the Ministry of Health of Southwest State has signed a formal partnership with ThinkMD, an international leader in digital clinical intelligence, and Cleanport Ventures, the program's implementing and coordination partner.
The collaboration marks the first state-level digital health initiative of its kind in Somalia — bringing artificial intelligence–supported clinical decision-making tools to frontline healthcare workers across Southwest State.
A New Era for Frontline Care
The initiative introduces ThinkMD's advanced Clinical Decision Support (CDS) Platform, a mobile technology that helps nurses, community health workers, and clinicians assess patients and generate evidence-based care recommendations.
Through this partnership, frontline health staff will be equipped with a digital tool that "thinks like a doctor," guiding each patient encounter through a structured, WHO-aligned assessment. The system improves diagnosis accuracy, strengthens reporting, and ensures that even the most remote health facilities can deliver consistent, high-quality care.
"This is not just a technology project — it's a leap forward for how healthcare is practiced and supported in Southwest State. Together with ThinkMD and the Ministry, we're laying the groundwork for a more connected, intelligent, and equitable health system."
From Vision to Implementation
Under the agreement, Cleanport Ventures will coordinate deployment, training, and operational oversight across all participating hospitals and community sites. ThinkMD will localize the platform for Somalia's health protocols, languages, and data standards, while the Ministry of Health provides governance, leadership, and integration with state health priorities.
"This partnership reflects Southwest State's commitment to innovation and to strengthening the capabilities of our frontline health workforce," said an official from the Ministry of Health. "By leveraging digital tools, we can extend high-quality healthcare to communities that have long been underserved."
The pilot phase — spanning both public and select private facilities — will include intensive digital training, configuration of health data dashboards, and the creation of a real-time reporting system for clinical encounters.
Cleanport's Role: Bridging Systems and Strategy
As the systems delivery partner, Cleanport Ventures plays a central role in ensuring that technology and health operations align seamlessly. Beyond logistics, Cleanport serves as the bridge between innovation and implementation — coordinating government, private sector, and international expertise to deliver measurable impact.
"Somalia's health sector is full of opportunity," Woodland noted. "By combining world-class technology, local leadership, and practical implementation, we can demonstrate what effective digital transformation looks like — led from within the state itself."
A Foundation for the Future
The partners envision this pilot as the foundation for a national digital health framework, one that will eventually link clinical data, workforce performance, and health outcomes across all Somali states.
As the configuration and training phases begin, the program stands as a model of collaboration — a blend of local ownership and global innovation.
"This partnership shows what's possible when technology serves people, not the other way around. Together, we're not just introducing a tool — we're building capacity, improving decision-making, and saving lives."
About the Partners
- Ministry of Health, Southwest State — The official health authority of Somalia's Southwest State, responsible for health governance, workforce development, and service delivery across public facilities.
- ThinkMD — A global digital health company providing clinical intelligence platforms that enable any health worker, anywhere, to deliver physician-level assessments and capture actionable health data in real time.
- Cleanport Ventures — An advisory and development firm operating at the intersection of diplomacy, finance, and infrastructure. Cleanport builds bridges that unlock global opportunity by guiding cross-border investment, designing regulatory frameworks, and facilitating public-private partnerships in frontier and emerging markets.
Looking Ahead
As the partnership moves from agreement to action, anticipation is high across Baidoa and beyond. The coming months will see the first cohort of trained digital health workers begin using ThinkMD's platform in clinics and community sites — a step that promises not only to modernize care delivery, but also to inspire confidence in what's possible for Somalia's health system.
"This is where transformation begins," Woodland said. "It starts with one state — and builds toward a healthier, more connected Somalia."