The sad, tragic news is that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Sierra Leone, where our longtime partner Rural Youth Health Organization (RYDO) partners operate free clinics for the poor, has the highest death rate from disease in the world.
The number one cause of death in the country is malaria, followed by lower respiratory infections, both easily preventable and treatable with proper medications, with half of the deaths being children under the age of five.
The problem is that for the most part, these drugs are not manufactured in Africa and must be shipped to the country from the U.S.
The good news is that for decades, Bread and Water for Africa®, working with our U.S. partner, MAP International, has been doing just that…shipping 40-foot containers filled with not only desperate-needed medicines, but also medical supplies and equipment as well.
RYDO partners operate eight health centers and clinics which last year provided healthcare services to 13,430 children, 12,043 mothers and 15,704 adults, a total of 41,177 individuals, no doubt many of whom are alive today because of the treatment they received.
Program manager Joseph Kobba noted that primary healthcare services at its facilities are provided at multiple levels with clearly defined functions including maternal and child health posts and community health posts which have beds only used for observation, while its Community Health Centers provide a wider range of more complex services and where patients from the lower levels are admitted.
However, Joseph adds: “In most cases medicines are not available, and nurses who oversee our healthcare facilities must purchase medicines from local pharmacies.”
Among those treated at a health center operated by the RYDO partner in the village of Bumpe recently was the 11-month-old daughter of Musu Ndoijei who had been experiencing high fever and a skin rash.
“But because of the poor economic state of Musu’s family, she didn’t have the money to pay for a doctor,” reported Joseph. “A friend of hers advised her to take the child to a neighboring village where the health center supported by Bread and Water for Africa® is located.”
It turned out that the baby girl was suffering from a life-threatening lower respiratory infection, as well as a skin infection, which was treated successfully during a three-day stay at the health center, following which she was discharged and returned to her village.
“My child could have died, as we have no money for medicines,” says Musu. “Thank you for saving my daughter’s life.”
Musu adds, “I want to thank God, the staff of the Bumpe Health Center for treating my child freely during my poor economic status, and to the supporters of Bread and Water for Africa® for making it possible.”
The overarching priorities of our partnership with RYDO, comments Joseph, are “to reduce the incidents of sickness in rural communities, treat vulnerable people who are unable to afford the cost of treatment, and reduce the death rates in rural communities.
“With the donation of medicines of Bread and Water for Africa® there has been improvement in the treatment of patients who visit our health facilities.”
