In John 21:16
Jesus asks “…do you love me? Tend to my sheep.”
As the medical team at the Bridge of Hope, we aim to fulfill this command by tending to the most basic right a human has: HEALTH.
Our MISSION STATEMENT
The Bridge of Hope Medical Team aspires to help create a self-sustainable medical system in Sierra Leone, which is available to all. We strive to do so by partnering with local healthcare providers to implement a framework for preventative care, and to encourage healthy habits through education. When implementing new programs in country, we use the “train the trainer” method in order to take further steps towards sustainability. We believe that all humans have equal value, and access to healthcare is a basic human right.
STATE OF HEALTH IN SIERRA LEONE
One in 23 women die in childbirth, the highest rate of maternal mortality of any country in the world.*
One in six children die before the age of five.*
Life expectancy is 53 years old.*
After the West Africa Ebola Outbreak between 2014 and 2016, many people developed fear and mistrust of the healthcare system.
In 2017 the World Health Organization named snakebite envenomations as the highest priority neglected tropical disease. Venomous snakebites continue to result in disease and death in Sierra Leone.
*Data from World Health Organization 2017-2019.
“I believe that through God, all things are possible. Improving the health of my community is not an exception to this. Let us work together to make this dream a reality.”
Salamatu Bangura
Nurse for The Bridge of Hope in Sierra Leone
Our ENDEAVORS:
1. Fully funding a full time nurse, who staffs two clinics which serve six villages year-round. Treating roughly 100 patients a month free of charge, with care standards defined by the World Health Organization.
2. Supporting our nurse with the necessary tools and resources, in order to provide educational classes year-round on topics such as Malaria, maternity, basic hygiene, etc. In an effort to create long-term, sustainable health practice in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
3. Operating annual remote medical clinics in the six villages where we partner with local health workers. These clinics provide healthcare and preventative care education- utilizing local hospitals as referral centers for more extensive treatment. We encourage patients to use the Bridge of Hope clinic for their healthcare needs year-round.
4. Continuing to support Sierra Leone’s First Snakebite Treatment Center. This project went live in February 2020 at Caring Hands Health Services in Makeni through a strong partnership between The Bridge of Hope and Asclepius Snakebite Foundation.
5. Employing Health Ambassadors in each of our six villages whose jobs are to facilitate health needs when they arise and assist with community health education coordinated by our nurse, Salamatu.
6. Running an outpatient treatment program in our Makambo clinic for cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition by using the recommended World Health Organization treatment protocols and Edesia’s Plumpynut product.
For more information, reach out to our medical team!
BridgeMedicalSL@gmail.com