malvernmugadzikwa
Theresa Mhazo
In March 2019, Cyclone Idai hit Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique causing catastrophic damage, and a humanitarian crisis, leaving more than 1 500 people dead and many more missing.
It was during this crisis that Dr Linda Haj Omar, a Sudanese surgeon based in Harare, was moved by compassion while she was part of the rescue team in the Chimanimani area.
This inspired her to start Medlico, for her to help more people in Zimbabwe.
“I decided to do interventions because there is a need, not because there is an emergency,” she said in an interview.
Medlico is an integrated research and training centre formed in response to the overwhelming need for research, data and capacity building.
It is a solution-focused centre that provides technical consultation on public health, environment and social science among other domains.
Medlico is also about social awareness interventions like tree planting day where they have donated trees to schools and also educated the learners the importance of this.
“I believe in partnership and collaboration. I’m a strong believer ‘together we can make it mantra’,” she said.
Dr Omar has been in the medical field for 15 years and has worked with Medicines Sans Frontiers and World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa region for seven years, three of which she spent in Zimbabwe before deciding to choose a career path of helping people through Medlico.
She was schooled in Qatar before attending university in her homeland, Sudan. Later she obtained a Master’s degree in the United Kingdom from Edinburg University. She also went to London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine for some courses as well as at the America University of Beirut.
Since 2005, Dr Omar has been doing humanitarian work. That same year, she was for the first time exposed to work for emergency assistance and support in humanitarian crises in her country through MSF. She describes that experience as an “eye-opener” for her.
She said: “The setup there had a good impact on me to shift my direction from just a person who had been practising one specialisation to now supporting a large number of people at the same time.
“Working with MSF had a huge impact on my personality, when you are used to work as an individual who works under a certain manner it will be different when you are a person who works for people as it changes your way of thinking, attitude, beliefs and you will be dealing with many mindsets”, she added.
Some challenges she faced while visiting remote areas made her want to be part of the people and challenged herself about how she could be part of the people and how to help.
In Zimbabwe, an opportunity arose after the Cyclone Idai disaster.
Medlico officially started operating in June 2022 although the plan had been in motion since November 2021.
During her 15 years of work experience, she travelled across borders gaining exposure and knowledge she has incorporated into Medlico.
“People inspired me to take this career path” she said.
She went on to say, “Working with people is not easy but being a medical doctor has made me want to help no matter how little I have.”
To date Medlico also works with women in their various capacities.
Last year, the organisation hosted an event to teach women handcrafting skills.
Medlico has had discussions with other women’s organisations on programmes for the girl child, including their rights and ways to assist them in different ways.
“In the next two to five years I really wish to be an example for other businesses as well among the private sector. We also wish to be involved in developmental projects and aspects.
“It’s a task for us as well to have a full engagement with the communities and existing system. And not to come as competitors but as collaborators and will help to move better and faster” she said.
Bongani Ndlovu