By Amin Kef Sesay
The invaluable humanitarian impact that Choithram Memorial Hospital has been providing in the lives of the less privileged cannot be overemphasized as the hospital continues to largely meet the needs of the poor and needy with various forms of free medical interventions that include expensive surgeries on patients from across the country.
It is against this background that recently, Mamie Mattia an 11 years’ old child from Bo District who has been suffering from Nephrotic syndrome for more than 2 two years now through the intervention of Sick Pikin Project; Choithram Memorial Hospital came to her aid free of charge.
Speaking to this medium, Salamatu Mattia the mother of Mamie expressed her appreciation to Choithram Memorial Hospital for treating her daughter free of cost, adding that the hospital provided more than they actually asked for and that they are more than grateful, as Mamie when admitted at the hospital was monitored by a Specialist Consultant that Choithram Memorial Hospital hired. She said she could not express how grateful they are to the hospital for such hospitality.
She said that 11 years’ old Mamie Mattia a JSS1 pupil was once a healthy, vibrant and happy young child growing up with dreams, aspirations and striving towards academic success but said that before her eighth birthday, she started experiencing illness.
Salamatu Mattia added that her daughter was taken to hospital and after several tests and scans carried out, she got a clinical diagnosis of Nephric-nephritis syndrome. Mamie’s mother said that since then, they went to many hospitals across the country in order to save the life of her daughter but that all their moves proved futile as her condition worsened.
She revealed that in October, they finally decided to come to Freetown in order to secure medication for Mamie at the Connaught Hospital but that Mamie’s condition did not improve.
By stroke of luck, Salamatu Mattia maintained that she was directed by a friend in Sick Pikin Project who in turn assisted her by making a public call to individuals and institutions to help Mamie that was circulated on social media and that the head of Choithram Memorial Hospital, Harish Agnani, saw the piece and immediately contacted Sick Pikin Project.
Salamatu Mattia revealed that since Mamie was admitted at the Choithram Memorial Hospital free of cost, her condition has changed completely and that as a family they are very happy as Mamie has finally regained her health and has been discharged from the hospital healed, hale and hearty.
“The treatment and care at the hospital is just amazing, the nurses visited her frequently to review and ensure that she was doing well. The nurses appeared every 15 minute; they are so caring and understanding. The Indian female nurse was the most frequent as she was eager to know how Mamie was doing,” she said with tears.
On his part, Consultant Physician and Consultant Nephrologist at the Choithram Memorial Hospital, Dr. Soccoh Kabia said Mamie was brought to the hospital with a clinical diagnosis of Nephric Syndrome which he said is a kidney disorder that causes someone’s body to pass too much protein in the urine and is usually caused by damage to the cluster of small blood vessels in one’s kidneys that filter waste and excess water from the blood.
He said that when he started treatment, he made some fluid restrictions on low salt diet, Frusemide, Spironolactone, etc., which resulted in her kidney condition improved.
However, he said she will need further investigation to ascertain the underlying cause of this syndrome as well as definitive treatment of which she needs a kidney biopsy test and other laboratory examinations to be done.
He ended by showering praises on Choithram Memorial Hospital for building such an infrastructure that has helped save lives.
Annually, the hospital brings in specialist medical teams from India, UK and Germany to perform surgeries and other medical procedures that are not widely available in the country and are very expensive to perform overseas.
In order to keep the hospital afloat, it charges patients for its services, which are affordable, compared to other private facilities in the country.
Certain customers pay normal costs to aid the running cost since they have to take care of staff, upkeep the facilities and as well maintain vital expensive equipment up and running.
