The District Health Management Team (DHMT) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) have organized a stakeholders’ meeting on blood transfusion and obstetric practices outside hospital environment.
The meeting took place at the under five-clinic hall at the government hospital compound along Combema Road in kenema city.
In her remarks the chairperson of the meeting, District Health Sister I Sr. Hawah Daramy, said the meeting was called up as a result of the deliberations that were held during the last maternal audit meeting at the maternal unit last month.
She said it came from the health care provider in the hospital, DHMT and one of the NGOs partners in health that lots of blood transfusion and obstetric service were being undertaken outside the hospital setting.
She appealed to all present to put hands together so that the hospital could provide quality, affordable and accessible health care service to the people in this country.
Mr Musa Kabba, who spoke on the national policy on blood transfusion, said no pharmacy was permitted to do blood transfusion and that whosoever was caught doing so would be dealt with according to the law, adding that only registered doctors were allowed to do blood transfusion.
He disclosed that 85% of blood transfusion in Sierra Leone went to women and children and it was being done within the hospital setting.
Explaining about the role of IRC in maternal and neonatal mortality reduction in kenema district, Dr Jeff and Sue Clarke told their audience that IRC for the past years had greatly contributed in reducing the high mortality rate in the district by sensitizing the communities, donate drugs and equipment, vehicles and training of health care personnel to get more knowledge all with the aim of saving people’s lives.
Dr Jeff said out of every 100 pregnant women two died and that this could be stopped by educating the people about the hospital services.
The District Medical Officer (DMO), Dr Yankuba Bah, said they were getting benefit from IRC and other areas but not good results had been achieved.
He said the infant mortality rate was reducing but not reduced according to what they wanted, saying that it was because the pharmacies were doing blood transfusion.
Dr Yankuba Bah said the hospital had warned all nurses not to engage in any dubious game that would put them into trouble and that the hospital would deal with whosoever was caught in any such act.
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