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| Abdullah Alkhamesi obituary | Abdullah Alkhamesi obituary |
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| Abdullah Alkhamesi, who has died aged 76, set up the Yemeni Red Crescent (YRC) in the 1970s and, as one of Yemen’s first and leading doctors, was responsible for the unification of the country’s healthcare system in 1990. In a place that has experienced decades of instability and war, and has been beset by corruption, his was a voice of integrity relied upon by international aid agencies to carry out their work. | Abdullah Alkhamesi, who has died aged 76, set up the Yemeni Red Crescent (YRC) in the 1970s and, as one of Yemen’s first and leading doctors, was responsible for the unification of the country’s healthcare system in 1990. In a place that has experienced decades of instability and war, and has been beset by corruption, his was a voice of integrity relied upon by international aid agencies to carry out their work. |
| Between 1962 and 1970, North Yemen was torn apart by civil war between royalist and republican factions. Abdullah’s work treating casualties, and a desire to help patients who could not afford private treatment, led to him setting up a room at his clinic for the international Red Crescent to provide all types of care, not only emergency relief. As the organisation’s support grew, he stopped his private work and set up the YRC in 1973. As the organisation’s general secretary he introduced ambulances, 24-hour clinics and emergency call-lines to Yemen. | Between 1962 and 1970, North Yemen was torn apart by civil war between royalist and republican factions. Abdullah’s work treating casualties, and a desire to help patients who could not afford private treatment, led to him setting up a room at his clinic for the international Red Crescent to provide all types of care, not only emergency relief. As the organisation’s support grew, he stopped his private work and set up the YRC in 1973. As the organisation’s general secretary he introduced ambulances, 24-hour clinics and emergency call-lines to Yemen. |
| Through the YRC, Abdullah was involved in emergency planning across the horn of Africa. Following the 1982 earthquake around Dhamar, when at least 50% of the relief supplies came from the YRC, ambivalent government attitudes to the organisation changed, and the second YRC office to be set up was in the city. In 1990, an earthquake in Iran led to 50,000 deaths and 100,000 injured. It was the worst recorded natural disaster in the country, and the YRC was one of the first to send medicine, tents and supplies. Abdullah travelled with the first plane, to ensure safe delivery of supplies. | Through the YRC, Abdullah was involved in emergency planning across the horn of Africa. Following the 1982 earthquake around Dhamar, when at least 50% of the relief supplies came from the YRC, ambivalent government attitudes to the organisation changed, and the second YRC office to be set up was in the city. In 1990, an earthquake in Iran led to 50,000 deaths and 100,000 injured. It was the worst recorded natural disaster in the country, and the YRC was one of the first to send medicine, tents and supplies. Abdullah travelled with the first plane, to ensure safe delivery of supplies. |
| Born in the capital, Sana’a, Abdullah was the son of Hamood Alkhamesi, a herbal doctor to the ruler of North Yemen, Imam Ahmad bin Yahya. Abdullah’s mother died when he was young and Hamood later remarried. Through his father’s connections, Abdullah was one of the country’s first group of medical students to receive a training scholarship to the Soviet Union, in 1959. Up until this point North Yemen had none of its own doctors, and very little contact with the outside world. | Born in the capital, Sana’a, Abdullah was the son of Hamood Alkhamesi, a herbal doctor to the ruler of North Yemen, Imam Ahmad bin Yahya. Abdullah’s mother died when he was young and Hamood later remarried. Through his father’s connections, Abdullah was one of the country’s first group of medical students to receive a training scholarship to the Soviet Union, in 1959. Up until this point North Yemen had none of its own doctors, and very little contact with the outside world. |
| He studied medicine at Odessa Pirogov Medical Institute (now Odessa State Medical University). While there, he met Svetlana Petrovna, a city planner, and they married in 1965. Abdullah graduated in 1967, and the couple returned to a war-ravaged Yemen. The heavy workload for the newly qualified doctors, who were also engaged in a delicate balancing act between both factions, led them – with Abdullah as the driving force – to set up the country’s first medical union, in order to be recognised as neutral medics and therefore entitled to protection from warring sides. Nevertheless, as the union’s head, Abdullah still had to go to the authorities on a number of occasions to free fellow medics imprisoned for treating the “wrong” side. | He studied medicine at Odessa Pirogov Medical Institute (now Odessa State Medical University). While there, he met Svetlana Petrovna, a city planner, and they married in 1965. Abdullah graduated in 1967, and the couple returned to a war-ravaged Yemen. The heavy workload for the newly qualified doctors, who were also engaged in a delicate balancing act between both factions, led them – with Abdullah as the driving force – to set up the country’s first medical union, in order to be recognised as neutral medics and therefore entitled to protection from warring sides. Nevertheless, as the union’s head, Abdullah still had to go to the authorities on a number of occasions to free fellow medics imprisoned for treating the “wrong” side. |
| During this time Abdullah was also involved in the World Health Organisation’s programme seeking to eradicate tropical diseases such as bilharzia and malaria. He travelled to isolated villages across Yemen to immunise children and spray stagnant water sources. This work led to his further study in tropical diseases and a master’s degree in medical management at Moscow University, graduating in 1973. | During this time Abdullah was also involved in the World Health Organisation’s programme seeking to eradicate tropical diseases such as bilharzia and malaria. He travelled to isolated villages across Yemen to immunise children and spray stagnant water sources. This work led to his further study in tropical diseases and a master’s degree in medical management at Moscow University, graduating in 1973. |
| After fighting ceased in 1970, but conflict between North and South Yemen continued, despite informal talks about unification beginning in 1974. The then president, Ibrahim al-Hamdi, appointed Abdullah to be head of the medical committee for reunification and he spent decades travelling backwards and forwards to Aden to negotiate with his southern counterpart to streamline the various medical systems; a particularly dangerous role that continued after the assassinations of Al-Hamdi and his successor until unification in 1990. | After fighting ceased in 1970, but conflict between North and South Yemen continued, despite informal talks about unification beginning in 1974. The then president, Ibrahim al-Hamdi, appointed Abdullah to be head of the medical committee for reunification and he spent decades travelling backwards and forwards to Aden to negotiate with his southern counterpart to streamline the various medical systems; a particularly dangerous role that continued after the assassinations of Al-Hamdi and his successor until unification in 1990. |
| During this time Abdullah maintained his doctor’s practice. I met him in 1997, via his son Zubair, whom I met while working for a development agency in Sana’a and later married. | During this time Abdullah maintained his doctor’s practice. I met him in 1997, via his son Zubair, whom I met while working for a development agency in Sana’a and later married. |
| Following Abdullah’s retirement as general secretary of the YRC in 2002, he set up a local free clinic, and was widely known as the man to go to for any variety of problems, medical or otherwise, at any time of day or night. | Following Abdullah’s retirement as general secretary of the YRC in 2002, he set up a local free clinic, and was widely known as the man to go to for any variety of problems, medical or otherwise, at any time of day or night. |
| He became ill in spring 2017, and needed heart surgery. This required stents – expandable tubes to be placed in narrowed arteries – that were initially unavailable, and then only at great cost. He had one operation, but after his condition deteriorated in August, he was unable to receive further treatment due to the war, and could not be transferred abroad because of restrictions on movement imposed by Saudi Arabia. His own principles meant that he would not countenance any special treatment. | He became ill in spring 2017, and needed heart surgery. This required stents – expandable tubes to be placed in narrowed arteries – that were initially unavailable, and then only at great cost. He had one operation, but after his condition deteriorated in August, he was unable to receive further treatment due to the war, and could not be transferred abroad because of restrictions on movement imposed by Saudi Arabia. His own principles meant that he would not countenance any special treatment. |
| Abdullah is survived by Svetlana, by their four children, Zubair, Leila, Nadia and Nazar, and by their six grandchildren. | Abdullah is survived by Svetlana, by their four children, Zubair, Leila, Nadia and Nazar, and by their six grandchildren. |
| • Abdulla Hamood Mohammed Alkhamesi, doctor, born 28 March 1941; died 31 August 2017 | • Abdulla Hamood Mohammed Alkhamesi, doctor, born 28 March 1941; died 31 August 2017 |
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