Somalia: Oldest physical rehabilitation centre continues to offer hope
Children born with clubfoot in Somalia, a congenital birth affecting approximately one in every 1000 births globally, are treated at the SRCS centre. The condition, if caught early, is treatable and majority of children can enjoy a wide range of physical activities with little trace of the deformity.ICRC/Abdikarim Mohamed
A mother’s kiss. A mother distracts her baby as staff apply a cast.ICRC/Abdikarim Mohamed
A mother looks on as she is given instructions on how to care for her baby. The clubfoot management requires follow up to ensure the children are able to walk normally.ICRC/Abdikarim Mohamed
“My life is back to normal. Before I used crutches to move around. I am now independent and have a job at Hormud that gives me an income.” says Hussein Ali. He sustained gunshot injuries on his left leg which he later received treatment for. He learnt about the SRCS centre; the team created a prosthetic limb at the workshop which enabled him to walk.ICRC/Abdikarim Mohamed
The centre ensures patients missing both limbs are provided with wheelchairs for easy mobility. This year, a total of 53 wheelchairs were provided to patients visiting the centre.ICRC/Abdikarim Mohamed
“I used to be a football player when I was younger.” Osman Mohamud sustained gunshot wounds during a shootout in Mogadishu in 2006. The incident occurred near his neighborhood mosque where he was shot in the leg. The injury left him with a leg injury which was later amputated. Fortunately, he regained mobility and is able to walk using a cane. To this day, 16 years on, he still comes to the clinic every so often to receive assistance.ICRC/Abdikarim Mohamed
“I enjoy creating modifications and casting come to life that is for both hand and legs. It is really fulfilling for me to put a smile on my patients when they start walking and their life changes for the better ” Amina is the workshop leader of the SRCS centre and together with her team they make prothesis and orthoses for affected people.ICRC/Abdikarim Mohamed
“The favorite part of this job is helping young children who come with clubfoot symptoms. We can detect and treat it early. Seeing them stand on their own makes me happy and appreciate the impact of this job”. Halima Abdulle has become synonymous with the centre having worked there for 35 years. She is the director of the Mogadishu centre.ICRC/Abdikarim Mohamed
Thirty-nine years on, the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) rehabilitation centre in Mogadishu continues to serve as a revolving door between despair and hope for patients who visit the facility. Tragic stories from Somalia's civil war era to common occurrences in Mogadishu today- explosions, car bombs, shoot-outs, grenade attacks and suicide bombs – make a turnaround for the better.
More than 2,700 people were attended to at the facility between January and September this year. Out of them, 96 were children born with a congenital birth defect called clubfoot that if left untreated will not be able to walk normally. Other services patients received include physiotherapy as well as providing prostheses, orthoses, crutches, walking frames and wheelchairs.
Most of the staff at the centre are long-tenured employees who are passionate about their work. Take Halima Abdulle for instance who has been working at the centre from the onset. She started off as a physiotherapist and over the years rose through the ranks to be director. The images below give an inside look at some of the patients and the work that goes on inside the facility.
