Activist and journalist Hanifa Aden is finally set to receive professional medical treatment for a debilitating ear condition after making a heartfelt public appeal for assistance.
Hanifa, who has been battling chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) — a long-term ear infection that has progressively impacted her hearing—took to the social media platform X to share her plight and ask for help in locating a reputable ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialist or hospital.
Her message quickly gained traction, with hundreds of well-wishers and medical professionals responding with support, advice, and hospital recommendations.
Hanifa returned to X to announce that she had finally secured the help she needed.
“I have no words. Thank you all. So so much. Oozing with gratitude,” she wrote in a post that received an outpouring of support.
When asked by a follower whether she had managed to book an appointment with a specialist, she confirmed with optimism:
“Yep, tomorrow morning insha Allah. Lazima booking kwanza.”
In a separate post, she added: “Good morning, my loves. I honestly have no words. I woke up to hundreds of messages and comments, and each one means the world to me. Thank you, truly, for taking the time to help me find a specialist. I’ve saved all your recommendations and will be acting on them immediately.”
Hanifa revealed that this was the first time she had spoken publicly about her condition, which has been a source of insecurity and emotional burden for years.
“Being able to finally speak openly about my progressive hearing loss and the challenges I’ve faced for years feels huge. This has been my biggest insecurity, and it’s shaped my life in so many ways,” she shared.
While the upcoming surgery will not restore her hearing, it is expected to stop the infection that has been causing further deterioration.
“Just knowing there’s a way forward has lifted such a weight off me,” she said, adding that she has already started learning sign language “just in case I ever wake up and don’t hear again.”
Hanifa also explained why she chose to make her appeal on X: “The community here has always come through for me. It felt like the right place to ask.”
In earlier posts, she described her struggle with finding a hospital that could offer more than just temporary relief.
