ISHI is organizing its first surgical mission to Sierra Leone (Dec 1st to Dec 12, 2011). We plan to perform about 150 general surgery operations in the town of Kabala over a ten days period. Kabala is a rural town in the Koinadugu distrcict and is in much need of a surgical team.
We are grateful to have Marina Goldman share her experience in Sierra Leone over the past 20 years, to help us set the mission. Her last trip to Kabala was in June of this year and she visited the hospital that has invited us for a mission. It's through her understanding of, and history with, the community and her many connections that ISHI is able to setup this mission.
August 4 ISHI held a 2 hours information session about the recent history and current state of Sierra Leone . Marina Goldman (Nurse Practitioner) shared her knowledge and experiences in Sierra Leone with ISHI volunteers. Marina has been travelling to Sierra Leone for the past 20 years.
View of Kabala, capital of the the Koinadugu district, the poorest in Sierra Leone. The population faces incredibly hard conditions with electricity, clean water and other basic infrastrcutures nonexistent. Banks, shops, schools and healthcare facilities are incredibly rare.
MISSION SUPPLIES AND PREPARATION:
Saturday Nov. 19 2011, witnessed a pre-mission double-header: the packing of the boxes and the meeting of the minds. A small group of dedicated volunteers (Anastasia, Asha, Stephanie, Tamara, Vishnu and Ziad) gathered at one of the volunteer's home to pack and weigh the 12-15 boxes of supplies and equipment that will allow the team to carry out the 150 anticipated major and minor surgical procedures in the weeks to come. A couple hours later the group reassembled at UMDNJ to meet with the rest of the team. Ziad gave detailed PowerPoint presentation on the genesis of the mission, as well as the logistics and expectations necessary for a successful outcome. Vishnu, distribute freshly stamped passports, and discussed key points of working as a team while in the field. Later, once the group broke-up in to the various teams, we were lucky to have some expert coaching from ISHI volunteer Alison Baker, RN, and, via telephone, Marina Goldman, RN.
Most of the medical supplies to be shipped with the team were donated by local hospitals or medical suppliers, and some had to be purchased.
Vishnu, Asha, Stephanie, Anastasia and Tamara during the packing afternoon. Sierra Leone mission has proven to be the most challenging mission so far for ISHI in terms of supplies and logistics.
MISSION VOLUNTEERS:
A group of 13 volunteers, financing their airfare and some accomodation cost, will travel to Kabala in Sierra Leone. The cost of transportation inside Sierra Leone as well as lodging and food upon arrival to Kabala are covered by ISHI.
Stephanie Burroughs, RN Benjamin John Chandler, MD Marina Dianne Goldman, NP Leah Holt Grange, CRNA Vishnu Hoff, Photographer Charlie Khoury, Logistics Anastasia Kunac, MD David Livingston, MD Debbie Livingston, Artist Vely A. Louis, MD Ziad Charles Sifri, MD Tamara Virginia Uhler, RN Zeina Wakim, Logistics.
