Ali Maow Maalin in 1977, WHO/John F. WickettWednesday, July 31, 2013 -
Ali Maow Maalin, smallpox survivor and Somali polio eradication champion, passes away.
Ali Maow Maalin, recently described as being one of the “true heroes” of polio eradication, passed away on 22 July in his home district of Merka, Somalia, due to sudden illness.
The last person to be infected with naturally occurring smallpox anywhere in the world, Mr Maalin was struck with the virus in 1977 whilst working as a cook at a Merka hospital. Fearing the needle would be painful, he’d previously avoided vaccination by holding his arm when vaccinators came to visit, pretending he’d already received the shot. But after recovering from the potentially deadly illness, he vowed not to let others make the same mistake.
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Ali Maow Maalin in 1977, WHO/John F. WickettWednesday, July 31, 2013 -
Ali Maow Maalin, smallpox survivor and Somali polio eradication champion, passes away.
Ali Maow Maalin, recently described as being one of the “true heroes” of polio eradication, passed away on 22 July in his home district of Merka, Somalia, due to sudden illness.
The last person to be infected with naturally occurring smallpox anywhere in the world, Mr Maalin was struck with the virus in 1977 whilst working as a cook at a Merka hospital. Fearing the needle would be painful, he’d previously avoided vaccination by holding his arm when vaccinators came to visit, pretending he’d already received the shot. But after recovering from the potentially deadly illness, he vowed not to let others make the same mistake.
Read the full story
