Comparative analysis of healthcare systems in the Horn of Africa and the evaluation of Türkiye’s diplomatic health studies conducted in Somalia

This study examines the effectiveness of the countries' health systems in the Horn of Africa region. It also investigates the perspectives of actors who have played an active role in health affairs in Somalia carried out by Türkiye. Using the Data Envelopment Analysis and Malmquist Total Factor Efficiency Analysis, we investigated the effectiveness of the health systems and improvements made throughout the years. In the countries of interest, efficiency levels and average total factor productivity showed positive and/or negative trends between 2000 and 2020. Kenya showed a marked performance in achieving improved average total factor productivity thanks to the effective use of current technology in health, success in integrating new technologies into the health system, and a high potential to produce more output despite insufficient existing inputs. The remaining countries lagged behind in improving their production factors. Since 2014, Türkiye has provided health services in Somalia through health diplomacy and conducted medical examinations for numerous patients in a well-equipped hospital.