Ali Maow Maalin
Ali Maow Maalin
Ali Maow Maalin (pronunciation: Ah-lee Mow Mah-lin) was a Somali health worker and the last known person to have a naturally occurring case of smallpox. His case, which was reported in 1977, marked a significant milestone in the global eradication of the disease.
Etymology
The name Ali is of Arabic origin and means "exalted" or "noble". Maalin is a Somali name that translates to "worker" in English. The etymology of Maow is not known.
Biography
Ali Maow Maalin was born in Somalia in 1954. He worked as a cook and a health worker, and it was in his capacity as a health worker that he contracted smallpox. Despite being eligible for the smallpox vaccine, he had never received it. After his recovery, Maalin dedicated his life to the eradication of polio and other preventable diseases.
Smallpox
Smallpox is a highly contagious and deadly disease caused by the variola virus. It was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1980, three years after Maalin's case.
Polio
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. Maalin worked tirelessly to eradicate polio in Somalia until his death in 2013.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ali Maow Maalin
- Wikipedia's article - Ali Maow Maalin
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