By Edward Vamboi
As various types of sickness have debilitating effects on some children in Sierra Leone amidst challenges to access good medical treatments there are certain organizations that are very keen to facilitate processes for such disadvantaged children in order to get specialized medical attention.
One of those organizations is Caritas Freetown which is implementing the Sick Pikin Project and over the years it has done extraordinarily well in the direction of making it possible for children with rare medical conditions to get medical treatments out of the country.
During a Press Conference convened at the Caritas Office, St. Edward’s School Compound at Kingtom on the 28th May 2021by the Sick Pikin Project an update was given about the pending departure of two children on that same day.
According to the Board Chairperson of Sick Pikin Project, Grace. E. Jones usually they convene such meetings to inform the general public about latest developments that the organization had undertaken or is undertaking and try to identify as well as express gratitude to those who are investing their resources to support their project and those who are also giving their moral support to the project.
She intimated that the reason they decided to hold the press conference is to inform the general public that they are sending two children again for medical treatments and they will be leaving for New Delhi, India.
Grace. E. Jones said they will be undergoing surgeries, one of whom is Noah Conteh an eleven years old boy who swallowed the base of a pen and Alie Bassie Foday Kamara a two years old boy who is suffering from acute bronchitis which was caused by him accidentally swallowing his pen cover, ailments that have caused them so much pain and discomfort and there is no way that surgeries will be done in Sierra Leone.
Grace Jones said as an organization they have to seek resources from the Ministry of Health saying the Ministry have been so helpful to their project. She disclosed that the Ministry have been providing some funds which has enabled them to facilitate treatments Noah and Alie to be done in India.
She said they have also been receiving support from other institutions and individuals who have been giving their monies to ensure that they are able to send children out. Grace intimated how the children will be accompanied by their mothers.
She disclosed that as an institution they have been able to assist over fifty children since they started their project revealing that while a large percentage had the opportunity to travel out of Sierra Leone for their surgeries others have been able to get doctors internally to perform their surgeries as well.
On his part, Rev. Father Peter Konteh, the Executive Director of Caritas Freetown, said it is a delicate period for the kids who are going to receive further medical treatments in India but prayed that all will go on smoothly as planned.
He extended gratitude to all those who have been collaborating with them in diverse ways. Rev. Father Peter Konteh commended the volunteers who go out on the streets to beg for funds and encouraged more volunteers to come on-board in order to save the lives of suffering children out there with rare medical conditions.
Rev. Peter Konteh also appreciated the role the media is playing in popularizing their mission and vision. He said the media is a significant partner to the growth of the Sick Pikin Project.
Kadijatu Caulker, mother of Alie Bassie Foday and Fatmata Sesay, mother of Noah Lamin Conteh extended their sincere thanks and gratitude to the Sick Pikin Project and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for coming to their aid and support sending the children for proper medical treatments in India. They also underscored that they had lost all hope until they came in contact with the Sick Pikin Project.
It was highlighted during the Press Conference that irrespective of the challenge that India is faced with in terms of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic the organization has planned everything to ensure that the patients are well taken care of and have also trained the patients on precautionary measures.
The two children and their mothers, it was intimated, will spend the night at Lungi Airport before departing Freetown for New Delhi via Accra and Doha on Qatar Airways.
