A "Shot" for Sierra Leone: Something to Celebrate for World Immunization Week & World Malaria Day4/25/2024 This International Immunization Week and today's World Malaria Day carries a special weight for Sierra Leone. As the world celebrates the power of vaccines to save lives, Sierra Leone takes a momentous step forward with the rollout of the malaria vaccine. This groundbreaking development holds immense promise for a country where malaria remains the number one killer of children. Sierra Leone currently faces the highest infant mortality rate in the world, with many of these deaths attributable to malaria. Vaccines, however, offer a relatively simple and life-saving intervention. A 2020 study conducted by the research lab at Mercy Hospital in the Bo community* investigated the acceptability of the malaria vaccine among residents. This research plays a crucial role in ensuring the success of the vaccine rollout. Mercy Hospital isn't just a center for groundbreaking research; it's also a trusted name in healthcare delivery. The hospital serves as a site for the World Health Organization's Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). Every week, an EPI representative visits Mercy Hospital to vaccinate children under the age of five brought in by their mothers. This program, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has saved countless lives by providing vital immunizations to children around the globe.  If you have ever had the chance to visit Mercy Hospital on immunization day, it is quite a sight! The WHO representative appears at the hospital with a small cooler where all of his vaccines are stored. The mother's line up with their children in tow and he begins giving them vaccines. Depending on the schedule for the child, they may get four or five shots at once, and he does them in rapid fire. The babies are so surprised that they don't even begin to cry until after the last syringed vaccine is given. Then, when their mouths are open from crying, he gives them the oral polio vaccine which seems to surprise them so much that they stop crying. Although the babies don't like it, it's such a powerful sight to see, because in just a few minutes 30 or more kids become one step closer to reaching their 5th birthday. The trust and reputation Mercy Hospital has built within the community is crucial for the success of the new malaria vaccine. Mothers know their children will receive safe and effective care at the hospital, making them more likely to bring their children in for vaccination.  This International Immunization Week and World Malaria Day, as Sierra Leone begins its malaria vaccine rollout, we celebrate not just a medical breakthrough, but the combined power of research, trusted healthcare institutions, and the dedication of the EPI program. This is a shot of hope for Sierra Leone, a chance to protect its most vulnerable population and build a healthier future.
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As Senior Consultant for the Child Reintegration Centre's Transition Coaching and Mentoring Department, David Titus Musa works closely with Reintegration Specialist Rosamond Palmer to help orphanages in West Africa and beyond transition their model of care for children from residential to family-based care. A growing number of organizations across the Global South are engaged in this important work, but often find themselves working in isolation without the ability to connect to other transition support experts to hone their skills and exchange ideas for best practice. In March, David was invited to attend a training of trainers on the Residential Care Service Transition Framework tools developed by the Better Care Network, alongside 20 other transition practitioners from 11 different African countries, including Sierra Leone, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Malawi and Kenya . These are his reflections.
The training was an intensive 3 days going through the process of transition, transition assessment tool, and learning about managing cost and risk factors. Our session leaders included many well-known thought leaders in care reform, including Peter Kamau from Child in Family Focus, Simon Kanyembo of Alliance for Children Everywhere , and Beth Bradford, from Changing the Way We Care. I was able to make connections for further collaborations with transition experts from Lesotho, Kenya, Ghana and Zambia. I look forward to being able to connect again with many of these leaders at the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit in September this year, to continue to find ways to work with and support one another The sessions were filled with deep conversations and shared understanding of care reform systems in different country settings. We were given many opportunities to test the effectiveness of the tools, and to contextualize the tool, as it had been developed from a global perspective, but must be adapted for each country context in order to be effective. From this training, I realize the as practitioners, we really need to understand how orphanages operate in our own countries, the goals that stakeholders had for establishing these institutions in the first place, and the kind of ownership they have over them. It's important to understand the needs of stakeholders because they can have a big impact on the strategies that we as transition support works use to support their transitions. Secondly, it's important that any transition take place within the context of wider systems reforms that include public commitment to scaling down orphanages and national minimum standards for the care of children laid out in laws and policies. Transition is possible, and necessary, but it requires buy-in from multiple stakeholders, and it takes time to do it safely and well. Sierra Leone is just at the start of the movement to change the way children are cared for - there are other countries such as Kenya and Rwanda making care reform a national strategy - with support from their governments, but the Transition Coaching and Mentoring Department of the CRC is on the cutting edge, leading the charge in West Africa. The training I received in Uganda will enable me to train other transition coaches in Sierra Leone, so that transition and care reform can gain more ground in West Africa. This week, a young girl named Musu embarked on a life-changing journey. Musu’s family is a member of the Child Reintegration Center (CRC) program, and she suffers from a critical heart condition. But thanks to a remarkable collaboration between Helping Children Worldwide (HCW), Mercy Hospital, the Together for Global Health network, and Sick Pikin, Musu is finally getting the specialized surgery she needs. Musu's story is a testament to the power of partnership in global health. When Mercy Hospital, recently equipped with a new EKG machine thanks to our collaboration with the Medical University of South Carolina, diagnosed Musu's condition, they knew immediate action was needed. Unfortunately, the necessary surgery wasn't available in Sierra Leone.  Musu with her mother and brother Musa Here's where the Together for Global Health network stepped in., We were able to reach out to members of the network to see if there were any organizations that we were aware of that helped coordinate medical treatment abroad. We were connected with the Sick Pikin Project, A locally based NGO in Sierra Leone that helps Sierra Leonean children get access to life-saving surgeries abroad. We have worked closely with their executive director through other initiatives in Sierra Leone and knew they would be a perfect partner for this venture. This incredible coalition sprang into action. HCW secured Musu's flights and travel insurance, while the CRC program facilitated passport acquisition for Musu and her mother. Mercy Hospital ensured Musu received the necessary medical clearance for air travel. Finally, Sick Pikin took the lead in obtaining visas for India and arranging the crucial surgery itself.  Before they left, Musa and her Mother took a photo with Abdullah, her case manager (far left), and Ishmael Charles from the Sick Pickin Foundation who has been doing all of the coordination for her to go to India Musu's journey is a beacon of hope. It demonstrates what can be achieved when dedicated organizations join forces. Together, they are not only saving a child's life, but also offering her a brighter future. We at HCW, along with our incredible partners, wish Musu all the very best for a successful surgery and a healthy life ahead. Her story serves as a powerful reminder that even the most complex challenges can be overcome through collaboration and a shared commitment to improving the lives of others.
Please keep Musu and her Mother in your prayers as they travel and as she undergoes surgery. We will keep you all up to date on her progress! |
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