Mogadishu, 11 May 2022 – Senior leaders of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) Tuesday spent an afternoon with wounded and unwell soldiers admitted at the mission’s Level 2 hospital in Mogadishu, to thank and uplift them for their sacrifices to Somalia’s peace process.
The Deputy Head of ATMIS, Ms. Fiona Lortan, arrived at the hospital accompanied by the ATMIS Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Diomede Ndegeya, ATMIS Police Chief of Staff, Commissioner Rex Dundun, and other senior ATMIS officials. The team then went straight into rounds, meeting with soldiers recovering from wounds sustained in battle and others suffering from various ailments.
“It’s our responsibility, duty, and obligation to visit all the troops in hospital, wish them well, express our thanks and appreciation for their sacrifices, and bring them tokens of appreciation,” said Lortan.
The DSRCC said meeting with wounded soldiers was the most sacred duty of the mission’s leadership, as the troops’ dedication and sacrifice for peace in Somalia is something never to be taken for granted. She also commended the medical practitioners at the hospital for staying true to their calling to save the lives of soldiers injured in combat and those feeling unwell.
“We say thank you, on behalf of ATMIS, the African Union, and on behalf of the Somalis because the sacrifices these soldiers are making are on behalf of our mission’s mandate in Somalia and on behalf of the continent. These are young people carrying a huge burden for the continent, and we wanted to thank them and recognise them,” said Lortan.
The Commanding Officer of the ATMIS Level 2 Field Hospital, Lt. Col. Dr. Ben Nsajju, said the visit by the senior leadership was a boost to troop morale, their presence ennobled the injuries of the soldiers and made them feel very much appreciated.
“Such visits encourage the patients and also boosts us, the service providers, to uphold our mandate as medical service providers. We feel appreciated, and the patients also feel that the leadership is in this together with them,” said Lt. Col. Nsajju.