Physical Health Sierra Leone Project #40931

CHANGE A LIFE - pediatric surgery in Sierra Leone

by Bethany Relief and Rehabilitation International

CHANGE A LIFE - pediatric surgery in Sierra Leone

Project Report | Oct 20, 2023
SPREADING OUR WINGS FAR AND WIDE

By Dr. Aiah Lebbie | Pediatric Surgeon - Sierra Leone

I am so pleased to share that our healthcare services are growing in depth and width. We are reaching partners to the North, West and East of the country and are aiming to partner with a clinic in the southern region of the country to reach even more children. Every month, I am able to travel to one of the 3 clinics to provide surgeries to children while I continue to maintain my base at Connaught hospital in Freetown.

One of the partner centers is Kalpat clinic in Makeni to the north of the country. Kalpat medical centre is a general health care facility located in the heart of Makeni. The health centre is open to the general public with the aim of providing high quality professional services to the population of Sierra Leone in a convenient, comfortable and clean environment for complete healing of patients.

In partnership with Dr. Patrick Turay at this centre, we are now able to provide better medical services to the greater northern region, and to children who would otherwise not be able to afford the cost of treatment. We are very grateful for this and many other partnerships that support our work in Sierra Leone.

Additionally, Dr. Catherine Jackson-Cole who is in training for pediatric surgery is progressing well with her training. She will be the second surgeon and the only woman pediatric surgeon here in Sierra Leone once she graduates, and I am positive that she will inspire many people when she returns home to serve children.

We are so thankful for your continued committment to support our work, without which all of these achievements would not be possible. Thank you for your committment to the children of Sierra Leone and to Africa's children in general. God bless you!

Links:

Get to know Dr. Catherine Jackson-Cole!

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Jun 22, 2023
Hope for Children in Northern Sierra Leone

By Lillian W. Gitau | Director of Global Program

Some of my little patients and their parents

A Note From Dr. Lebbie:

A most favorite part of my work is the welcome that I receive from children in need of treatment when I travel to different regions outside of Freetown to provide surgeries. This happens to be once or twice a month. I mainly get to travel to the Northern and Western regions of the country where some of the most vulnerable children await treatment. With wide smiles and hopeful eyes, they observe me keenly as I interact with them and their families before treatment. We often dance together, play soccer or simply sing songs and pray together, as we get to know each another, and before long we become good friends.

And this was the case this past month when I traveled to the Northern region at the beginning and end of May to provide treatment to children living in that part of the country.

At the KALPAT Medical Center in Makeni, children were waiting patiently for my arrival at the start of the month, in order to get a chance for free surgery for hernias and a wide range of other surgical ailments. The operations I provided were funded by BethanyKids, and the smiles on the faces of the parents and children said it all, and were a true testament to this significant work that we do. We all truly cannot fully express our heartfelt gratitude to our supporters, which we see written on the faces of children and parents.

We conducted a second surgical camp towards the end of May where 10 children received treatment. Whereas the first medical outreach comprised children mostly under the age of 5 years, this second camp had children all above 5 years. The difference was striking, leading me to inquire why children had been brought in for treatment late. Every single parent that I spoke with stated a lack of financial capacity to pay for the surgery as the reason for not seeking care earlier. Each was extremely grateful that their children would benefit from the free treatment we provide.

The sponsored surgical camps attract patients from all over the Northern and Western regions and beyond. They are highly anticipated and appreciated by all. I would like to say thank you again for your generous support which continues to allow us to extend healthcare to the children in my country. Together, we will be able to accomplish much for and on behalf of sick children here in Sierra Leone!

Dr. Lebbie with patients

Links:

Hope lives here.

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Feb 27, 2023
Looking Back & Ahead With Gratitude

By Lillian Gitau | Director of Global Program

LOOKING BACK!

We are thankful that 2022, though being quite an eventful year in Sierra Leone also turned out to be a fruitful year in the realm of surgical treatment for children in need. We continue to express our hearfelt thanks to our donors, without who many of the achievements shared here would not be possible.

Despite the challenges encountered this past year, with some public protests and unrests in various parts of the country, mainly due to rising cost of living, 250 children received surgical treatment; we also provided nearly 1,000 outpatient reviews and consultations. Of the 250 children who had surgeries, 95% were discharged from hospital while the others stayed back in hospital for review and observation . We are also thankful to see so many lives transformed for eternity through the Gospel.

LOOK AHEAD!

In 2023, as work proceeds at the government hospital in Freetown - Connaught, Dr. Lebbie is planning to hold medical outreaches in the hard to reach regions of his country so that children who would otherwise not access healthcare can have the treatment they need closer to their community. He will continue to collaborate with the Adama Martha- Jericho Road Community Health Clinic to the Eastern part of the counrty and The Holy Spirit Clinic in Makeni to the northern part. Your continued support will help us reach these children and provide them with the care they deserve.

CURRENT NEED.

The proposed new surgical camp at the Makeni regional hospital located towards the Northern part of the country is now ready for operations. We are looking forward to providing surgical treatment in this new location and we have needs for supplies and basic theatre equipment and pediatric surgical instruments to support our work there. We invite you to join us in this effort as we continue to treat as many children as we are able to reach.

BethanyKids team, the children and their parents in Sierra Leone all thank you for your generous support!

Links:

Your Impact!

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