By Foday Moriba Conteh
During a snap ceremony held at the Administrative Department of the Connaught Hospital in Freetown, the Healey International Relief Foundation presented 2 pallets of paediatric shunts to the Management of Connaught Hospital.
The 2 pallets of paediatric shunts that contains 269 pieces will help children with hydrocephalus. This support is part of the strengthening health systems in Sierra Leone that Healey Foundation is implementing. The donation was donated by the manufacturer, Integra and the Catholic Medical Mission Board.
Handing over the Shunts, the Executive Director of Healey International Relief Foundation, Benjamin Parra, said that the Shunts are very important towards improving the health sector in the country.
He added that the Shunts were air freighted to Sierra Leone from Belgium donated by the manufacturer Integra, and the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) in order to support the Paediatric Department at
Connaught Hospital.
Benjamin Parra stated that the 2 pallets of paediatric Shunts worth about 725,000 United States Dollars which according him is part of their program of strengthening health systems in the country.
Receiving the donation, the Medical Director at Connaught Hospital, DCMO Clinical, Dr. Mustapha Kabba, expressed appreciation to the Healey International Relief Foundation and the Catholic Medical Mission Board and Integra for the kind gesture which he described as very important towards the development of the health sector in the country.
He said that the donated Shunts would help towards treating patients with hydrocephalus Pediatric cases at the facility.
On his part, the Pediatric Surgeon at Connaught Hospital, Dr. Aiah Lebbie, also applauded Healey International Relief Foundation and the Catholic Medical Mission Board for donating the Shunts to the hospital, adding that the Shunts are very important in treating patients with Hydrocephalus and that it has been a significant challenge in getting them.
He described the Shunts as the most expensive and durable ones that have been donated to the hospital.
Dr. Aiah Lebbie disclosed that on a weekly basis he is seeing 2 to 3 children being diagnosed with Hydrocephalus of which he said these shows that the cases of children with Hydrocephalus are increasing compared to before.
Closing the ceremony was the officially presentation of the Shunts to the Medical Director Connaught Hospital, DCMO Clinical, Dr. Mustapha Kabba by the Executive Director of Healey International Relief Foundation, Benjamin Parra.
