Najla Al-Sonboli


Najla 'Al-Sonboli' is a pediatrician and the head of the Pediatric Department of Al-Sabeen Hospital for Maternity and Children in Sana'a. This hospital is the biggest tertiary referral pediatric hospital in Yemen and receives patients from Sana'a and surrounding areas, which includes people who are relocated due to war. She is a research partner at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

Biography

Al-Sonboli received her Masters in Tropical Paediatrics in 1999, a diploma in Tropical Child Health in 2000, and her Ph.D. in pediatric health in 2006 from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Her areas of research include respiratory diseases, pulmonary tuberculosis, malnutrition, and diarrhea diseases in children.
In 2018, Al-Sonboli was given the World Health Assembly Heroine of Health Award for her contributions and improvement to global healthcare.
In the face of war, and graving personal risk, Najla has shown great resilience, working tirelessly to provide essential medical care to save babies and children. Due to war, medical staff had no salaries, thus, Najla worked with no salary and under fire to help the people of her country through war. Children are dying from diseases, hunger, pieces of rocket and gunshots. Many have lost their parents in this war, many are displaced and separated from their families and their homeland.

Publications

Awards