At the backdrop of the alarmingly low percentage of vaccinated people in Bulgaria (about 18%), a young doctor working in a rural area has achieved a remarkable success by vaccinating 40% of his mostly elderly patients and has received a prize by the Bulgarian Ministry of Health. In an interview with Radio Bulgaria Dr. Aliosman Ahmed told us how he managed to achieve this result, what challenges he faced, and how trust between patient and doctor is built.

The 29-year-old general practitioner Dr. Ahmed was born in Targovishte. After graduating from the Medical University in Varna, he first worked in the Varna Emergency Department before moving to the Emergency Department in the city of Shumen. Since 2019 he has been managing a private practice and treating people in the municipality of Varbitsa in the district of Shumen.

Dr. Ahmed says that most people do not believe in vaccines and hope that they could overcome the disease easily, but tend to forget that their elderly parents, grandparents and relatives with chronic diseases are vulnerable. The doctor needed to convince his patients and he has managed to vaccinate about 40% of them. Moreover, people from neighboring municipalities and districts also trust him. He works with all types of vaccines available and leaves the choice to the patient.

Like all medications, vaccines also have side effects. The most common ones that the young doctor has observed are redness and minor swelling:

"In part of the population, about 10-15%, higher body temperature is observed after vaccination, which is a reaction of the immune system, but easily goes away. There have not been severe reactions."

Dr. Ahmed takes care of nearly 2,000 patients and shares his observations on the effectiveness of vaccines:

"I have patients who were vaccinated a few months ago but recently had Covid. It went very well as they only had a runny nose, which indicates that the vaccine itself works and patients respond well to it. I also have a patient who had concomitant diseases and severe heart disease. He also did well and did not suffer from severe pneumonia, etc."

The young doctor has achieved remarkable success in the implementation of the immunization campaign against Covid-19, because he had managed to establish a strong bond with his patients.

"I spend a lot of time being part of a big family together with my patients. I try to step into their shoes, to understand their pains. They trust me. I really want to help them and I show it; I answer their questions. They should feel good; they should not be depressed; they should not be forced. Everything happens with a lot of work and sometimes I come back home at 9 or 10 o'clock in the evening. It's not easy."

Dr. Ahmed travels long distances every single day to reach anyone who needs help and advice. He listens to his patients, answers all their questions and asks them about their physical but also about their emotional state. Just like it usually happens in big families.

English: Alexander Markov