By James Samuel Cole in Kabala
Medical and local authorities in Koinadugu have hailed the delivery of much needed medical supplies to the struggling district government hospital in Kabala.
The consignment, which include Oxygen Concentrators, a mobile ultra-sound machine, a mobile x-ray machine, standard hospital beds with mattresses, oximeters, blood pressure machines, stretchers and wheel chairs, were delivered on Tuesday, 7th September, 2022.
Deputy Minister of Health Princess Dugba presided over the official handing over ceremony at the Kabala Government Hospital (KGH). She disclosed that the consignment was worth US$1million.
KGH is the main referral center for Koinadugu and neighbouring Falaba District. The facility also receives patients from as far as communities in neighboring Guinea.
These supplies therefore bring a sigh of relief for the authorities in the district, as expressed by District Medical Officer Dr. Steven Funnie, who said that it’s also a source of relief for the people.
“I am overwhelmed with these donations as they will go a long way, considering the the extreme difficult circumstances in which we have been providing medical care for the people of Koinadugu,” he told ManoReporters, adding: “I urge the people of Koinadugu to bring their sick relatives to the hospital for proper medical care.”
Hospital Superintendent, Dr Alie Tarawallie, also expressed gratitude for the supplies, noting at the presentation ceremony that the move will help make his job and those of his staff easier.
Present at the presentation ceremony were representatives of community leaders, among them Paramount Chief Gbawuru Mansaray of Wara Wara Yagala Chiefdom. He thanked government for giving “life, hope and prosperity” to his people.
“What I have witnessed so far, if I fall sick, I believe I will recover and be made whole [again],” the chief said at the event.
Deputy Minister Dugba said that the responsibility of the Health Ministry is to ensure that health facilities were fully equipped, so that patients can have the medical care they deserve.
Lack of electricity is one of the many major challenges the district hospital has been dealing with.
Koinadugu is one of the districts in Sierra Leone that are still not connected to the national grid, thereby depriving their inhabitants of many life saving services.
Many of the medical equipment given to KGH, like the oxygen concentrators, will require power for them to function. And people who need such services in their treatment often need uninterrupted power supply for a long period of time.
In her speech during the handing over ceremony, the Deputy Minister acknowledged the challenges lack of power supply in the district poses for the efficient operation of the hospital.
She later told ManoReporters in an interview that the Bio Administration was working on several measures to alleviate the challenges. One such initiative, she disclosed, is a planned World Bank-funded project aimed at solarizing health facilities nationwide, including regional hospitals. She said KGH could be included in that plan.
The deputy minister added that government was also working on acquiring a 100KVA Generator for the hospital in the meantime.
The Kabala Government Hospital is currently under rehabilitation, as part of a nationwide rehabilitation of government hospitals.
Koinadugu and its environs, especially Falaba, comprise of rough terrain, which makes traveling to access health care for the people even more difficult. Ambulance is usually in short supply. But Mrs Dugba said while there were available ambulances, they were working on overhauling the entire national ambulance services because most of the vehicles in the fleet are old and handicapped by lack of spare parts.
“We are trying our best as a ministry to make sure that the whole ambulance system is being looked into and we look at their challenges,” she said. She added that in Falaba, five ambulances were recently donated, noting that those vehicles would not just be used for Falaba but also for Koinadugu and its environs.
One thing the ministry will also need to look at to enhance health care delivery in Koinadugu is the issue of pin code for the nurses. Many of the nurses in the district are still working as volunteers, which affects their commitment and dedication. The ministry says it has plans to distribute 1000 pin codes nationwide, from which Koinnadu will benefit.
