A video circulating on social media has been widely shared, claiming that a woman in her sixties gave birth to a child in Mogadishu. Many who saw the clip expressed joy and offered prayers for her, while a smaller number questioned its authenticity.
The footage, which has been online for several days, shows the woman holding a newborn baby, with a doctor standing nearby. However, an investigation by the BBC has revealed that the story is not true — the woman, who introduced herself as Faaduma, confirmed she did not give birth to the child.
Faaduma explained:
“The situation was just a lighthearted moment. The baby belongs to someone else. I was at the hospital for my own health issues when they placed the baby in my arms. Those who saw me with the child assumed I had given birth. I did not. The baby’s parents had given birth at the hospital; I was only there as a patient.”
How the misunderstanding happened
Dr. Maajid Bakuur, a gynecologist specializing in fertility treatment at Taran Androcare Hospital, told the BBC that after delivering a baby for another woman, he carried the newborn through the hospital. Seeing Faaduma looking sad, he handed the baby to her briefly. Photos and videos were then posted to his TikTok account. The clip quickly went viral — but with the wrong story attached.
Dr. Maxamed Cabdullaahi Ciise, the hospital’s medical director, clarified that the family of the newborn and Faaduma did not know each other.
“The idea was simply to make her happy,” he said. “We had permission from the baby’s parents to do so. Unfortunately, once the images reached social media, people began claiming she was a 60-year-old who had just given birth here at the hospital.”
He also confirmed that some images circulating online had been manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI), making the story seem more convincing than it was.
This incident is yet another example of how quickly misinformation can spread online — and why it is important to verify the facts before sharing.
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