The COVID-19 situation in Sierra Leone, and its impact on health care overall, is ever-evolving. We invite you to stay in the know by listening to these real-time updates, in which Jon Lascher, executive director of Partners In Health-Sierra Leone, speaks with staff about the latest news and efforts to combat COVID-19 and protect the health of Sierra Leone. ---------- Partners In Health (PIH) began working in Sierra Leone in 2014, during the height of history's worst Ebola outbreak. Throughout West Africa, the epidemic destroyed already fragile health systems. PIH has been working to build back and improve health care in Sierra Leone, with a particular focus on Kono, an eastern, rural district that was hard-hit by not only Ebola, but also the country's brutal civil war and decades of impoverishment. Now, alongside the rest of the world, Sierra Leone is faced with another deadly infectious disease outbreak: COVID-19. In partnership with the government of Sierra Leone, PIH is responding to COVID-19 throughout the country, while also maintaining routine medical care and our overall mission to strengthen the health system in Kono. Tenki ya for listening!
Today Jon speaks with Ahmidu Barrie, PIH SL's Director of Operations for an update on Covid-19 in Kono District. Ahmidu is managing the emergency response for PIH in Kono District, while also making sure our ongoing operations are maintained. We hear from Ahmidu on what the increase in cases means for Kono District, and for PIH Sierra Leone. Support this podcast
The President of Sierra Leone and the Minister of Health and Sanitation visited the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching hospital on June 4th. We will hear from the head of that hospital, Dr. Abdul Jalloh, and two PIH SL staff members who have been overseeing our partnership: Umaru Sheriff and Alpha Sesay. Before the interviews this week, I am including an abridged version of the remarks I gave at the event with the President and Minister of Health. I feel it is important, especially as a white American to comment on what is happening right now in America. Full remarks can be found https://www.pih.org/article/celebrating-new-possibilities-sierra-leones-only-psychiatric-hospital (here). Please consider supporting the https://eji.org/ (Equal Justice Initiative) in the U.S. Support this podcast
Dr. Marta Patiño, PIH Sierra Leone's Internal Medicine Physician, has been working at Koidu Government Hospital for two years and has been helping to prepare our clinical team for eventual Covid-19 cases over the last two months. Last week, the day we were preparing for, arrived. The first cases of Covid-19 arrived in Kono, and we hear from Dr. Patiño about how the hospital is managing during this time. Support this podcast
Today, Jon travels just outside Freetown to attend the opening ceremony for the 120 bed community care center that PIH's infrastructure team helped to retrofit over the last 2 weeks. The new repurposed facility will provide additional treatment beds for positive Covid-19 patients who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. Dr. Idris, from the national case management pillar, and the coordinator in charge of the facility provides an update. Support this podcast
Today, Jon Lascher speaks with Vicky Reed, Director of Nursing, and Isata Dumbuya, Maternal and Child Health lead. Both Vicky and Isata are celebrating International Nurses Day today with their teams in Kono, and they share what inspired them to become nurses. As Isata says in the episode, "Nurses rock". Thank you to all of the incredible nurses caring for patients around the world! Support this podcast
Today, Jon travels to the main COVID-19 hospital in Sierra Leone, the 34 Military Hospital, and checks in with Dr. Marta Lado, PIH-Sierra Leone's chief medical officer. Dr. Lado has been seeing COVID-19 patients since the outbreak reached Sierra Leone six weeks ago, and shares updates on how staff, stuff, space, and systems are coming together at the hospital to provide COVID care. She also gives a shout-out to all of the nurses at 34 Military, in Kono, and around the country: "the core of the health care system." Happy Nurses Week! Support this podcast
Today, Jon speaks with Vamba Lolleh, the electronic health officer for PIH-Sierra Leone. He talks about deploying electronic medical record systems at Wellbody Clinic, Koidu Government Hospital, and for community health workers in Kono. He also updates us on what he and the team have been working on during the COVID-19 Outbreak. Support this podcast
Ahead of another three-day countrywide lockdown, Jon speaks with head of laboratory services for PIH-Sierra Leone, Musa Bangura. Musa shares some insights into the lab testing challenges in Sierra Leone, and what the future may hold for COVID-19 diagnostics in the country. Support this podcast
Today, Jon speaks with Infrastructure Manager (and his roommate!) Douglas Miller, to learn more about a new COVID-19 community care center set to open next week in Freetown. The facility will serve asymptomatic and minor COVID-19 cases, in order to monitor and protect these patients' health, help curb community transmission, and save hospital beds for severe cases. We also speak about new priorities for the infrastructure team, and status updates on pre-coronavirus projects. Support this podcast
On today's special update, Jon checks in with members of the PIH-Sierra Leone team in Kono, Freetown, and Port Loko, to learn a little more about how different staff members celebrate independence day, and what the holiday means to them during the COVID-19 response. Jon speaks with: Isata Fefegula - Administrative Manager, Freetown Shadia Conteh - Finance Officer, Freetown Alusine Bangura - Human Resources Director, Kono John Bawel Thomas - Deputy Community Health Worker Program Manager, Kono Saidu Bangura - Community Health Worker, Bumpeh, Kono Princess Coker - Community Program Officer, Kono Jamil Bangura - Community Program Officer, Port Loko Mohamed Kanu - Driver, Freetown, from Port Loko Yunus Fornah - Finance and Payroll Manager, Freetown Tamba Gbessengumbu - Fleet Manager, Kono Dr. Bailor Barrie, Doctor, Strategist, Contact Tracer - Freetown Support this podcast
Jon visits the final day of the training of trainers for Sierra leone's national contact tracing program. Jon is joined by epidemiologist Gbessay Saffa, the head of contact tracing for the Government of Sierra Leone, to learn a bit more about contact tracing, his experience, and the partnership between PIH and the Ministry of Health's contact tracing response. Support this podcast
Today, Jon and repeat guest on the PIH-SL Audio Update, Dr. Bailor Barrie, talk about the upcoming trainings for Sierra Leone's national contact tracing program. PIH is leading the training with the surveillance pillar and the emergency operations center. #contacttracingtraining. Say that three times fast. Support this podcast
Today, Jon is joined by Dr. Joia Mukherjee, chief medical officer for Partners In Health, to discuss the Massachusetts contact tracing program, and how the Ebola response in Sierra Leone is helping to guide PIH's U.S.-based COVID-19 response. #tonkolilitotewksbury. First hashtag ever, and its a good one. Support this podcast
Jon and Dr. Bailor Barrie discuss the latest COVID-19 situation in Sierra Leone: 35 cases, a new case in Tonkolili District, and efforts to train community health workers as contact tracers. Support this podcast
Today, Jon speaks with Dr. Chembe Kachimanga, a PIHer with more than eight years of experience working in Malawi and Sierra Leone. Almost two years ago, Chembe left Malawi to help build PIH-SL's medical education program, and now he also leads our non-communicable disease work, our monitoring and evaluation program, as well as supports our community based program. Chembe shares news from the noncommunicable disease clinic during COVID-19. Support this podcast
Jon speaks with psychiatrist Mawuena Agbonyitor about PIH-SL's mental health program and how to stay healthy during lockdowns and social distancing. As an added bonus, Mawuena guides us through a breathing meditation to help ground us and reduce stress and anxiety. Support this podcast
Today, Jon speaks with Isata Dumbuya, PIH-SL's reproductive, maternal, and child health program manager. She is responsible for leading PIH's maternal health programming at Koidu Government Hospital, Wellbody Clinic, and clinics around Kono District. Isata is also one of the chief planners and designers of the forthcoming Maternal Center of Excellence. We will hear about the impact coronavirus is having on maternal health services in Kono. Support this podcast
Today, Jon joins Ali Pierson, PIH-Sierra Leone's supply chain manager, to understand the impact the coronavirus outbreak is having on the global supply chain of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, and steps PIH has taken to prepare our supported facilities for a surge of coronavirus cases. Support this podcast
Jon speaks with Community Based Program Manager Kumba Tekuyama about how PIH-Sierra Leone's community health worker program in Kono District is preparing for COVID-19. Support this podcast
In today's update, Jon speaks with Mohamad Nao, better known as "Chairman," who helps coordinate social support for PIH-Sierra Leone. Chairman shares his thoughts on the partial lockdown in Sierra Leone, and how it might affect Freetown and the nation. Support this podcast
In today's update, Jon joins Ahmidu Barrie, director of operations, and Vicky Reed, director of nursing, to hear more about COVID-19 preparedness at Koidu Government Hospital, Wellbody Clinic, and PIH offices and guesthouses in Kono. Support this podcast
Jon speaks with Strategic Advisor Dr. Bailor Barrie about COVID-19 happenings at the District Emergency Operations Center in Kono. Support this podcast
The first update on COVID-19 from PIH-Sierra Leone, shortly after the country's first confirmed cases. Jon shares the latest news and speaks with Strategic Advisor Dr. Bailor Barrie and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marta Lado. Support this podcast
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