{"id":16027,"date":"2025-02-04T05:14:34","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T05:14:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/?p=16027"},"modified":"2025-02-05T17:41:11","modified_gmt":"2025-02-05T17:41:11","slug":"polio-champion-ahmed-hirsi-retires-after-26-years-of-protecting-somali-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/2025\/02\/04\/polio-champion-ahmed-hirsi-retires-after-26-years-of-protecting-somali-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Polio champion Ahmed Hirsi retires after 26 years of protecting Somali children"},"content":{"rendered":"

MOGADISHU —<\/strong> When Ahmed Moalim Hirsi joined the battle against polio in 1998, Somalia was in crisis. The country faced widespread conflict, droughts, and a fractured health system. But for Ahmed, the mission was simple: protect Somali children from a disease that had long paralyzed communities with fear.<\/p>\n

Now, at 65, Ahmed reflects on his 26-year journey with the World Health Organization (WHO), a career that helped Somalia achieve wild poliovirus-free status in 2014 and build a lasting public health infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Ahmed\u2019s work began in Bosaso, a bustling port city in northeastern Somalia. Armed with a nursing diploma from Mogadishu Nursing School, he joined WHO at a time when polio posed a serious threat to public health. Initially tasked with polio surveillance in Bari, he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the Zonal Polio Officer for Puntland, where he remained for nearly two decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I started, communities were skeptical, and conflict made our work dangerous,\u201d Ahmed recalls. \u201cBut we were determined to reach every child, no matter the obstacles.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of his earliest challenges came in 1999 when he identified a young girl in Bosaso suffering from acute flaccid paralysis\u2014a case later confirmed to be caused by wild poliovirus. That diagnosis marked the beginning of a coordinated and relentless campaign against the disease.<\/p>\n

Misinformation about vaccines threatened to derail early efforts. Rumours circulated, claiming that the polio vaccine could cause infertility or stunt children\u2019s growth. Ahmed and his team knew that without community trust, their mission would fail.<\/p>\n

They launched grassroots awareness campaigns, partnering with religious leaders and community elders to dispel myths and educate families. Slowly, vaccine acceptance grew.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe showed people that vaccines saved lives,\u201d Ahmed says. \u201cIt took time, but they trusted us once they saw the results.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the early 2010, vaccination refusal rates had dropped significantly across Puntland, paving the way for the country\u2019s eventual success.<\/p>\n

In 2014, Somalia was declared free of wild poliovirus. Since then, no new cases have been recorded\u2014a testament to the dedication of health workers like Ahmed.<\/p>\n

\u201cEradicating polio wasn\u2019t just about vaccines,\u201d Ahmed explains. \u201cWe built a system that connected communities, health officials, and international partners. That system remains in place today, helping to address other health challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

WHO officials credit Ahmed\u2019s leadership with laying the foundation for Somalia\u2019s broader immunization programs, which continue to protect children from preventable diseases.<\/p>\n

Ahmed\u2019s work came with risks. In 2010, while supervising vaccination efforts in Bosaso, he was involved in a severe motorcycle accident that left him with permanent injuries. Despite the pain, he never considered stepping back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still have metal rods in my arm, but I wouldn\u2019t change a thing,\u201d he says. \u201cThe sacrifices were worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Gedi Mohamed, WHO Somalia\u2019s Immunization Coordinator, praises Ahmed\u2019s resilience: \u201cHe is an example of what dedication and compassion can achieve. His work saved countless lives and continues inspiring health workers nationwide.\u201d<\/p>\n

Retirement hasn\u2019t slowed Ahmed down. Now living in Qardho, a town 200 kilometres from Bosaso, he provides free orthopedic care to those in need. Using his skills as a traditional bone-setter, he treats patients who cannot afford medical care, often travelling from neighbouring regions for his help.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my way of giving back,\u201d Ahmed says. \u201cI consider this work a form of charity. It\u2019s what Allah has blessed me to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ahmed lives with his wife and 11 children, who continue to be his source of strength. His home, often crowded with patients seeking treatment, symbolizes his enduring commitment to his community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m leaving behind more than memories,\u201d he says. \u201cWe created a foundation that others will continue to build on. Somalia\u2019s children deserve nothing less.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: HOL\u00a0 \u00a0 Origin: view original<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MOGADISHU — When Ahmed Moalim Hirsi joined the battle against polio in 1998, Somalia was in crisis. The country faced widespread conflict, droughts, and a fractured health system. But for Ahmed, the mission was simple: protect Somali children from a disease that had long paralyzed communities with fear. Now, at 65, Ahmed reflects on his …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1],"tags":[1197,1612,1213],"class_list":["post-16027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-health-cluster","category-news","tag-immunization","tag-polio-champion","tag-somali-children"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16027"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16030,"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16027\/revisions\/16030"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}