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Somalia: murdered doctor's work lives on


Dr Annalena Tonelli was killed a year ago - but her pioneering work dedicated to caring for TB patients in Somalia is more important than ever, a bishop said yesterday. Paying tribute to the Italian woman who was killed by an unknown gunman at her clinic in Borama last year, Bishop Giorgio Bertin, Bishop of Djibouti, told Fides News Service: "Annalena's work continues beyond all expectations." Annalena Tonelli worked in Borama, caring for people with TB since 1969. She was not a medical doctor - she had a degree in law - but after a visit to Somalia decided to devote her life to caring for people there. The clinic for TB patients which she opened has 200 beds. Despite the fact that she had no degree in medicine, the World Health Organisation WHO appointed her as an adviser in the field of TB control and she was a pioneer of the WHO TB control Global Policy launched in 1993 called 'Directly Observed Therapy Short Chemotherapy'. Bishop Giorgio said: "Annalena's clinic continues to operate thanks to local Somali who have the project at heart." "The Association to Fight World Hunger in Forli, Annalena's home town, continues to fund the clinic which also receives help from the United Nations. In November an Italian NGO operating in the area is expected to take over the management of the clinic." On 25 June 2003 in Geneva, the UN High Commission for Refugees presented Annalena Tonelli with the annual Nansen Award for Refugees assigned for outstanding service to assist refugees. "Annalena is remembered dearly by all who knew her. This morning in Borama Mgr Sandro De Pretis, vicar general of Djibouti celebrated a Mass for Annalena and this evening I will say one here in Djibouti," Bishop Bertin said. Source: Fides

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