A Scottish charity organization that has set up a reconstructive plastic surgery in Ghana has promised to set it up in Sierra Leone.
The Scottish charity manager, Allan Burns, said in December 2006 the Ghana director of the plastic surgery unit in Accra, Dr Albert Paintsil, visited Sierra Leone and confirmed that there was a need for reconstructive plastic surgery in Sierra Leone.
“We also found overwhelming and enthusiastic support to help develop such a vital medical service in the country,” said Allan Burns.
He stated that in January the first step in this process would take place, as two nurses would receive seven weeks training in plastic surgery nursing in Ghana.
Allan Burns said this move would raise awareness of the need for developing such service in Sierra Leone, and when commenced they hoped it would be a long term reconstructive surgery training programme for Sierra Leoneans in Ghana.
He said, “doctors, anesthetists, nurses and therapists can be established in Sierra Leone during 2008 and volunteer medical specialists from overseas will come to the country to perform operations and to train local staff,” he noted.
Allan Burns pointed out that as a Sierra Leone –Ghana-Scottish partnership had been established in Sierra Leone, that’s a modest start.
He said the next step in the process was to obtain the funding for the training programme and setting up of an operating theatre.
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