Edna Adan Ismail is a professional midwife, and she was formerly a World Health Organisation representative. In 1998, she commissioned the maternity hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland, which she still runs to this day.
In 1999, Edna Adan began training midwives at the hospital, initiating the first midwifery course in Somaliland for 17 years. Book Aid International has consistently supplied texts for students and staff, since these are virtually impossible to obtain locally. The vital training materials we provided played an essential role in the creation of a new team of midwives. The midwives are now working to reduce the alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality which affect Somaliland's rural women. Indeed, any health worker in Somaliland can use the maternity hospital's medical library and the range of medical books donated by Book Aid International.
'I have seen at first hand the great need for health information in the developing world. Good quality health information equips everyone - from a qualified doctor to a mother caring for her child - to look after their health, provide better care for patients, and prevent disease. A book on health can save a life.'
Edna Adan Ismail, Foreign Minister, Somaliland, 2003-2006