In Sierra Leone, Free Medical Care for Yele and Surrounding Communities

[CAI Team]

Health Ministy Authorities
A ten-man delegation from Women for Women of Sierra Leone (WWSL), a united States based non-governmental organization last Tuesday paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Health and Sanitation. The delegation comprising mainly of medical personnel is heading for Yele where it will conduct dental and hernia surgeries and provides assistance for WWSL supported schools.

Welcoming the delegation, the Minster of Health and Sanitation, Mr. Sheiku Tejan Koroma praised WWSL for the humanitarian assistance it has been rendering the people of Sierra Leone but was quick to note that he hoped such missions will last longer than ten days.

Explaining the constraints of the Ministry, the Minister stressed that there are so many challenges in the health sector but believes that with the help of organizations such as WWSL a lot can be achieved.

While in Yele, the WWSL team will be operating from the Dr. Muriel Petioni Medical Center where hernia surgeries will be performed free of cost. Also, there will be dentists whose services are also free.

The head of the delegation, Reverend Dr. Georgiana Abisordun Johnson, a Sierra Leonean/American, informed the Minister and team that WWSL sends two missions to Sierra Leone annually, in June and in December. She stated that this June one team member will teach Conflict Resolution in Yele schools while another looks at water wells in the town. All the others will be in the Medical and Dental Clinics, she said.

The ten-man WWSL delegations include Sherry Atkinson-Chisholm-OR Nurse, William Chisholm-Anthesthetist, Dr. Opal Goodridge-Dentist and founder of the Dr. Opal Goodridge Dental Clinic in Yele, Reena Shah-Dentist, Dr. Raja Shabbagh-General Surgeon, Theodora Johnson-Medical Volunteer, Carla Landrum-Teacher Volunteer, Thomas Landrum-Conflict Resolution Specialist, Theodore Johnson-Board Member and Georgiana A. Johnson-Head of Mission.

The Acting Chief Medical Officer, Alhaji Dr. K.S. Daoh, and the Acting Director, Primary Health Care, Dr. A.L. Seisay were present at the courtesy call ceremony while the Assistant Donor/NGO Liaison Officer, Mr. Ibrahim M. Fofana introduced the Mission to the Ministry officials. The delegation is expected to leave for the United States on 19th June by which time it is expected that several dozens of hernia operations and tooth extractions would have been performed.


© Copyright by Awareness Times Newspaper in Freetown, Sierra Leone(CAI is been given the permission to re-published this article)