KENEMA REGIONAL GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL
According to the Lancet, the estimated unmet surgical burden of disease in Sierra Leone is huge, at 92%, as a result of the historical neglect of surgical care both nationally and globally. Approximately 4 million people lack access to emergency and essential surgical care. Most of the need is in rural and marginalized communities, where the population receives only 3.5 percent of all surgical procedures. The lack of surgical care takes a serious human and economic toll and can lead to acute, life-threatening complications. Yet, surgically treatable conditions contribute to premature deaths or ill health of the population. The prevalence of untreated surgical pathology is nearly 30% in Sierra Leone and nearly 60% of all admissions to referral hospitals are for surgical conditions. Recognizing that the failure to appreciate the role of surgery in addressing important public health problems is the main cause of disparities in surgical care worldwide.
The need to increase the volume and quality of surgical, obstetric and anaesthesia care, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), has been widely recognised, as globally five billion people still lack access to safe and affordable surgical Oncological services (a branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of cancers) is unavailable in most part of the country.
Only in Freetown histopathological services are available with s functioning oncology clinic staffed with about 4 oncology doctors and trained nursing and pharmaceutical staff in oncology.
First of all, the diagnostic process is long and expensive, as samples and lab tests need to be sent to Freetown and where necessary and possible sent external private laboratories for analysis. If the result is cancer, depending on the clinical and pathological stage, a limited number of treatments options are available. If the tumour is resectable without local or distant metastases, then wide local surgical excision is done.
When there local or distant metastases, a limited number of oncology drugs are available; Sierra Leone has no established national chemotherapy program. What’s more, most patients arrive at health facilities when their cancer is already advanced to a stage where palliative care is the only viable option, having held off going to see a doctor for fear of the cost of care and lack of access to nearby clinics or hospitals.
Another concern is that nurses and pharmacists don’t have formal training opportunities in cancer care, so many lack expertise in how to manipulate and administer oncology drugs. The country also has limited lab capabilities to properly diagnose cancer, and social support programs—which would help patients meet such needs as food, transportation, and housing—are rarely part of care.
All of these programs and resources are currently being planned for at Kenema Government Hospital, which each month sees four or five patients arriving with any type of cancer—usually advanced stage lymphoma, leukemia, Breast cancer, prostate cancers choriocarcinoma, Lung cancers, GI cancers etc.
At Kenema Government Hospital, when we find a case that is an early stage and can benefit from treatment, we buy some chemo and administer it locally with the collaboration of a clinic in Freetown that has some trained and skilled staff. But honestly, these are very exceptional cases.
Kenema Regional Government Hospital General Surgery and Oncology Unit in partnership with mariama sannoh Breast and Pancreatic cancer foundation to construct and equipe a 50-bed oncology ward. Also, through the Mariama Sannoh breast and pancreatic cancer foundation for just $200 donation can help treat surgically treatable diseases like Hernias, hydroceles, lipomas, Appendicitis. For just $1000 donation we can diagnoses and treat breast cancer, including Biopsy, Histopathology, surgery, six sessions of empirical chemotherapy. The country presently lacks radiotherapy facility but we are successfully managing cancer cases with just surgery and empirical chemotherapy.
2. Oxygen concentration machines
3. Universal Anaesthesia Machine ( UAM)
4. Glovasaven Machine
5. Suction Machine
6. Monitors
7. Amble bags of different sizes
8. Anaesthetic drugs
9. Anaesthetic gases
10. Diathermy machines
11. Oxygen tanks
12. General surgery sets
13. Thoracic Surgery sets
14. Orthopaedic surgery sets
15. Gynaecological surgery sets
16. Head and Neck surgery set
17. External fixators
18. Hepatobiliary surgery sets
19. Renal surgery sets
20. Oscillatory saws
21. Paediatrics surgery set
22. Abdominal surgery set
23. Formalin for specimen preservation
24. Operating theatre cupboards and Tables
25. Mattresses and Bed lines
26. Air conditioners
27. ECG/EKG & ECOCG Machine
28. Tumour markers (Various types)
29. Laboratory analysers ( Biochemistry, Haematology, Serology, Microbiological analysers)
30. Microscopes
31. Stretchers
32. Ambulances 33. Digital X ray machines
34. MRI & CT Scans
35. Ultrasonographic machines
36. Spinal Needles
37. Anaesthetics Drugs
38. Chemotherapeutic medications
39. Trainings to improve the human resources capacity of the staff
40. Laptops
41. Printers
42. Scanners and photocopiers
Dr. Augustine A.D. Tarawally
B.Sc., M.Sc. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, M.D, M.Sc. Surgery/ Oncology