WHO in Somalia
To celebrate International Nurses’ Day, marked around the world on Florence Nightingale’s birthday on 12 May, and International Midwives’ Day, which falls on 7 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Somalia is acknowledging the remarkable contribution of nurses and midwives in the country.
WHO spoke to 2 experts to hear about their experiences.
Omar Mohamed Abdi, a trained nurse by profession, also serves as the Head Anaesthetist at the Bosasso General Hospital. As part of his work, he prepares patients for surgery and teaches students anaesthesiology.
As a child, Omar wanted to join the health sector. He feels this was probably as, back then, many children didn’t know much about other careers. He just wanted to work hard like his father, a labourer who paints homes, and his mother, who worked at a livestock market. But most of all, Omar wanted to help his community and do as much as he could for them.