ESMC 2026: a sold-out success in London
The European Somali Medical Conference 2026, hosted by the BSMA, was a great success. On Saturday 15 August, more than 300 Somali clinicians, researchers, educators, students and community advocates from across Europe and the Horn of Africa filled 30 Euston Square, home of the Royal College of General Practitioners, in London. Every ticket was taken before the day, and a waiting list ran until the end.
Coming just a year after the first conference in Helsinki, the day opened with three keynotes that linked the past, present and future of Somali medicine. Professor Salah Aidarous Nasir, the surgeon and educator who trained generations of Somali doctors, spoke on the legacy of Somali medicine. Dr Najib Isse Dirie, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at Somali National University, spoke on medical education in Somalia today. Dr Qaali Hussein, trauma surgeon and founder of Defiance Academy, joined online for "Things They Don't Teach You in Medical School".
The programme made room for conversations our communities often avoid: cancer and its stigma, fertility, mental health and reproductive health, alongside health literacy and the use of social media in health education. Panels, parallel breakout tracks and workshops covered mental health, community health and reproductive health, from Somali medical language to the wellbeing of healthcare professionals, and speakers looked at how the diaspora can support healthcare across the Horn of Africa in practical and sustainable ways.
Research had its place too. Abstract presentations showcased new work from the community, and Dr Mubarik Igal of the University of Cambridge won the Oral Presentation Prize for his research on trauma-informed perinatal care for forcibly displaced women. The day closed with the post-conference dinner.
London also marked a new chapter for the European Somali Medical Council. The inaugural Chair, Dr Zakariye Ashkir, handed over to Dr Selma Ibrahim, as the chairship moves to Sweden, where the Swedish Somali Doctors Association will host the conference in 2028. The council welcomed its newest member, Stichting SOMED from the Netherlands, and the work is already reaching beyond the conference, with a joint clinical teaching programme with colleagues in East Africa and remote case discussions under way.
The conference was made possible by our sponsors and partners: Dahabshiil UK, our Principal Sponsor; African Relief Fund and Guided & Co, our Major Sponsors; the MDU, our Legacy Sponsor; Zamzam Foundation; Sahan; the British Islamic Medical Association; and Spotlight Events Management. Thank you to every speaker, moderator, facilitator, presenter, volunteer and delegate who made the day what it was.
