Somali Health Authorities, WHO, 2015

These STGs bring together all the Somali best-practice treatment guidelines developed by MOHs, UN agencies and THET into one book and also draw on a large body of treatment guidelines from WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, GAVI, the Global Fund and other international agencies, as well as specialist groups such as the British National Institute of Clinical Evidence (NICE) and Primary Care International.

These STGs outline principles for prescribing, and list the best treatments that are currently available at affordable prices. The application of these guidelines for Somali nationals brings huge benefits to the health status and well-being of Somalis, limits potential harm that incorrect prescribing can cause and eases the task of the thousands of health professionals navigating their way through dozens of manuals and protocols. Developed as pocket guides for different levels of the Somali health system in line with the EPHS, the availability of STGs greatly simplifies the task of health professionals in prescribing and ensures that those using the health system know that they are getting the best treatments with the least chance of side effects at low cost. With STGs, the use of medicines becomes rational.