By: Mohamed Sahr
In an effort of investing in primary and secondary health services in Sierra Leone, Mercy Ships Organization in collaboration with the Ministry of Health poised to deliver free surgical care to over two thousand immediate patients in Sierra Leone within a ten-month period. This disclosure was made during a press conference on 21st August 2023 at Youyi Building in Freetown.
Dr. Austin Demby, Minister of Health, said the major focus of the Ministry’s driving feats in line with support from government and partners was to manager both secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities that deal with more complex cases that gripped the country overtime; noting that the Government of Sierra Leone continued to look for major investments especially the establishment of the Postgraduate School of Medicine and Surgery, Postgraduate School of Nursing and Midwifery as well as the Postgraduate School of Pharmacy Study as a way of ensuring adequate training of personnel and the appropriate supply of equipment and medicines.
Dr. Demby mentioned that the coming of Mercy Ship would serve as a roadmap in dealing with critical surgical cases affected by a number of Sierra Leoneans. “Mercy Ships is going to deliver surgical care to over two thousand of the immediate people in Sierra Leone,” Minister of Health assured.
He thanked the management of Mercy Ship Organization for bringing healing and roasted smiles on the faces of many dying families during their ten months free surgical services to the people of Sierra Leone.
Dr. Demby said the coming of Mercy Ships serves as a new chapter in the history of Sierra Leone considering the type of services offered at time of its wrecked moment. He continued that Sierra Leoneans would be poised to see the state-of-the-art ship surgical care flanking waves on the country’s natural harbour throughout the next ten months spell.
Doctor Gert Van de Woodluff, Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Ships Organization said Mercy Ship could not fulfill its obligation to provide hope and healing without closed cooperation from partners and the Government of Sierra Leone.
He affirmed that they remained focus in providing safe and free surgical care as well as surgical training and education for medical professional’s courtesy the modernized ship that houses global face in terms of surgical delivery. Dr. Woodluff felt grateful for collaborating with the Government of Sierra Leone since 1992 to date with lots of infrastructural contributions and trainings.
Doctor Sandra Lako, Country Director of Mercy Ships Sierra Leone said the momentous arrival of Mercy Ships on the shores of Sierra Leone would clearly sheer light on bringing hope and healing to many Sierra Leoneans suffering from difficult surgical illness and other general surgeries. She furthered that the patients selection team comprised of both international and national medical professionals who identified patient’s surgery at eight locations across the country. “We have been able to fill our surgical schedule,” Dr. Lako said.
She added after the ten months of service, the facilities especially the refurbished health centre would be handed over to the Ministry of Health for community needs. Dr. Lako revealed that there would be different types of free surgical services ready to be delivered to the affected patients on board the ship.
Jan Van Den Bosch, Chairman Mercy Ships in Netherlands and Vice Chairman Mercy Ship International said extended his sincere gratitude on behalf of Mercy Ships Organization for the closed partnership and the scenery environment created by the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Health.
