By Amin Kef (Ranger)
Choithram Memorial Hospital, a private hospital situated on Hill Station in the West End of Freetown, in collaboration with Bintumani Association, will be offering a Free Pediatric Surgical Camp from the 11th March, 2023 to the 23rd March, 2023.
Management of the hospital revealed that a team of German Paediatric Surgeons, who have been visiting Sierra Leone since 2010, will be in the country to perform Paediatric Surgeries free-of-charge at the hospital.
Worthy of note is that this is not the first time that Choithram Memorial Hospital is organizing a Pediatric Surgical Camp as it has been doing so in the past in a bid to avail individuals who could not afford the costs to access good medical treatment.
Speaking to this medium in an exclusive interview, the Medical Superintendent of Choithram Memorial Hospital, Dr. Gowrinath M. George, intimated that patients, aged 15 years and below, are qualified to benefit, adding that patients will be screened at various centers and the final list sent for scrutiny and final evaluation out of which some of the patients will be referred directly to Choithram Memorial Hospital at Hill Station, Freetown, where the operations will be performed for free.
He revealed that the German Team consisting of eight (8) persons, including the Project Coordinator, Dr. Morley Wright and Dr. Ibrahim Al-Naib, including the 3 General Paediatric Surgeons, Dr. Sarah Al-Naib, Dr. Esther Lau, and Dr. Tilman Gresing, and 1 anesthetic doctor (Dr. Kathrin Rüsse) will be administering treatments.
Dr. Gowrinath M. George maintained that the spectrum of conditions to be treated include General Surgeries like Neck fistula and Cyst, Soft Tissue Tumors and Sequelae of Thermal injury, Malformation of the Urogenital and Gastrointestinal tract, Hernias in children, Hypospadia, Undescended testes, Abdominal Wall deformity, minor contractures after burns adding that malformation of the spine will be treated depending on its severity and accompanying lesions.
“Hydrocephalus and Myelomeningoceles, Incomplete Closing of the Backbone, Clubfoot/Talipes, Esophageal stricture, Cleft lip and Palate are excluded,” he stated categorically.
The Medical Superintendent urged interested patients to please contact them on +232 76 292082 or visit the Hospital from Monday to Friday to register for screening.
Registration will open from the 16th January, 2023 to the 10th February, 2023.
On his part, the Chief Administrator of Choithram Group, Harish Agnani, stated that providing qualitative medical treatment for people from all walks of life in the country, since its establishment, has been the vision of Choithram Memorial Hospital.
In another development, the hospital in collaboration with Interplast from Germany will be also offering Free Consultation and Treatment by experienced Plastic Surgeons from Germany from the 23rd March 2023 to 3rd April, 2023. The Free Consultation and Treatment will be coordinated by Dr. Eric Wongo, Plastic Surgeon and Coordinator of the Camp.
Dr. Gowrinath M. George further disclosed that patients suffering from Post Burn Contracture, Disorder/Deformity of hand, feet or wrist, Tumors of Hand and Feet and Cleft Lip and Palate can benefit from the Free Consultation and Treatment.
- E. Dr. M. L. Baryoh, Sierra Leone Ambassador to Germany, has been the bridge between Bintumani Association (German Paediatric Surgeons), Interplast (German Plastic Surgeons) and Choithram Hospital.
Dr. George said, ‘had it not been for the efforts H. E. Dr. Baryoh the Camp would not have been possible. He had several meetings with all the parties to bring them on board. I am grateful to him for having chosen our hospital to deliver surgical care to the needy of our beloved country. ‘
He also urged interested patients to please contact them on +23276541331 for registration or visit the Hospital on Hill Station in Freetown, adding that registration will commence from the 16th January, 2023 to the 10th February, 2023.
