A patient at the Choithram Hospital, Alpha Bah, thanked Dr. David Nylander, for saving his life. Dr. Nylander is an Endoscopic surgeon who is in town to train four doctors on Endoscopy.
Alpha Bah, who gave the green light to tell his story, said he was having serious problems with breathing and whenever he eats the food would not digest.
“I was in a very bad shape when my sister advised me to come to Choithram’s rather than Connaught. “On Wednesday, I was brought to Choitham’s where some tests were done and the doctor in charge called on Dr. Nylander who was teaching three doctors. He came and advised that I should be taken to the Endoscopic centre where he did a diagnosis and proved that I had cirrhosis of the liver.”
Bah said Dr. Nylander advised him and told him to get treatment or else he will only live for a week. The operation was done and now he said he feels very good and optimistic that he is well and hearty.
Dr. Nylander, who was in town last year to start training four doctors on Endoscopy, said when he diagnosed Alpha Bah he immediately knew he was in great danger of survival and he had to convince him to go through the operation which he said lasted for 20 minutes.
“One of the veins in Alpha’s liver had been ruptured and that was the reason he was vomiting blood. Even if he was given blood he would continue to vomit it. What I did for him was to band the vein that was ruptured and leaking blood and two others that were in bad shape. Immediately I did it the bleeding stopped and he was ok.”
Dr. Nylander said this is the reason why they are bent on training these doctors to save lives. He said presently Choithram’s Hospital is the only centre with Endoscopic machine and trained doctors to work with it.
“Last year when we came we trained four doctors, Dr. Esie Thomas-Macauley, Dr. Sorie Conteh and Dr. Finda Ngougou. The fourth doctor we trained is now in Nigeria so we have replaced him with Dr. Augustus Caulker. The first three has already finished the first part of the training and they can now diagnose patients for many sicknesses. We are back now to work with them to start treating patients and I believe by the time we come back next year; we will certify them to start treating patients.
Dr. Esie Thomas-Macauley, one of the trainees, said they are passionate and they worked with Dr. Nylander to save Alpha Bah’s life and that is what they will be doing in the hospital.
Harish Agnani, who is in charge of Choithram’s, said they are working with Dr. Nylander and team as he has done a lot by making sure the hospital has an Endoscopic room and they have just bought a new machine making it two in the hospital.
He said he is happy that the Sierra Leonean doctors being trained will then be able to train other doctors in the future so that the country will boast of dozens of Endoscopic doctors.
When asked how people get such rare liver diseases, Dr. Nylander said it is through alcohol and Hepatitis B and C. He said last year when they were in town they also treated a 17-year old girl with the same symptoms and they treated about 64 patients.
Dr. Nyalnder is in town with a team of seven members from Newcastle and they are also training local nurses to help work with the doctors.
AT/23/11/17
Friday November 24, 2017.