An International Non Governmental Organization, International Rescue Committee (IRC), has donated large quantities of obstetric and laboratory equipment and other supplies to the Kenema District Health Management Team (DHMT) for (EmOC) Emergency Obstetric Care Service in 24 satellite peripheral health units.
In his opening remarks the chairman of the ceremony, Councillor Musa Kallon said “IRC is implementing an emergency care project in the district and this is not the first time that IRC is donating to the government hospital in Kenema”.
He said similar donation was done in October 2007, adding that the government hospital in Kenema had numerous problems among which was the lack of payment for most nurses.
Giving an overview of IRC programmes in Kenema and the purpose of the donation, the field coordinator of IRC’s activities in Kenema Tamba Gborie disclosed that IRC was founded in 1933 and that it was working for freedom, humanity, dignity, and self reliance.
Tamba Gborie revealed that the IRC came to Kenema in 1999, noting that the donation would make a difference in the health circle.
He stated that, “the EmOC project is targeting the entire district,” and explained how IRC donated two ambulances and medical drugs to the hospital in October last year.
The resident minister east, Hon. Williams Juana Smith, said the timing of the donation signified the organization’s commitment to good service delivery.
He cautioned nurses and all to use the items for their intended purposes, adding that the medical field in the past had been marked by corruption and mismanagement and the government of the day would live no stone unturned to deal with corruption. He therefore called on everyone to work in the country’s interest.
The medical superintendent, Dr Almamy Philip Koroma, said the days of mismanagement and corruption in the medical field in the Kenema district were over.
He appealed to the resident minister to look into the appointment of board members of the hospital, as the past board members were not cooperative but politicized.
Dr Almamy Philip Koroma commended IRC for doing a lot for the hospital and that its contribution had led to the reduction of maternity mortality rate in the district.
He assured all that the items would reach their targeted beneficiaries, and cautioned all in the medical field to work according to the ethnics of the profession because he was not ready to take any nonsense this time around.
Among the items donated were hospital beds, 5 KVA generator, mobile phones, tourniquet rubber, tape measure, clinical thermometer, surgical scrub brush, oxygen concentrator, needle among others.