By Newman Anthony Levey In Bo
As part of their commitment to national development, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has renovated a community clinic at Messina Section in Bo, southern Sierra Leone.
The renovation exercise, according to officials, cost Two Hundred Million Leones (Le200, 000,000) and it came at the request of the community people.
After the renovation of the ‘Needy Community Development Clinic’, it was handed over to the community in a colorful event during which the Chairman of the ceremony, who is a Pharmacist, Dr. Tamimu M. Kallon, noted that the District Health Management Team (DHMT) was pleased with the work done by the Church.
Dr. Kallon added that they will monitor the clinic to ensure that it continues to provide its services and that the renovated building is taking good care of. The chairman encouraged the community people to visit make sure they visit the facility whenever they feel sick.
The founder of the Clinic, Alhaji Mohamed S. Kamara, who is also a medical doctor, noted that he provided the land and constructed the clinic in 1998 as a medical practitioner to save lives. Kamara added that he later gave the clinic to the community and the government for continued service.
He admonished the nurses to take good care of the facility, noting that he has fallen out with some workers at the clinic because they had different agenda from service to humanity.
The State President of Later Days Church in Freetown, Kenneth Pambu, said that he was part of the humanitarian department of their church, noting that they realized that the center was in a very deplorable state when they went to asses it upon the request of the community.
Pambu explained that the Church then went on to do the renovation, including changing of the roofs, windows and painting of the building. He said they also did the pavements, providing the facility with a modern toilet seat. The Church also provided PPEs and a new building for the maternity unit, separating it from the general ward. They also provided five new beds and foam for the clinic.
According to Pambu, the church had earlier renovated the Kenema Hospital Annex Department and provided them with ACs, beds and other important hospital equipment. He concluded by applauding the contractors for a “job well done.”
The in-charge of the clinic, Nancy Sei Samai, expressed gratitude to the Church for the renovation exercise. She noted that at some point in time, people were going to other facilities because of the poor condition the clinic was in.
Nurse Samai explained that the facilities does receive free health care drugs from the government quarterly, which they use to give free services to lactating mothers and pregnant women. She called on the community people to come to the clinic as they're there to provide the services to them.
A lactating mother, Amie Gbessay, said she was happy with the renovation work.
“I have long been coming to this clinic. I have given birth to three children and I delivered them in this clinic. But the way the clinic was, it was too shameful. When it’s raining, water runs through all corners of the facility," Ms Gbessay recalled. She urged fellow community women to visit the clinic, noting that it’s closer to them and that it made more sense than visiting facilities far from them for medication.
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