Save the Children health team
About us
Sierra Leone is quite a difficult place to work. One in four children dies before their fifth birthday. And one in six women dies from difficulties around childbirth. There's a high attrition rate of health workers, so there's not enough skilled doctors and nurses to treat patients.
Jeanetta- health programme manager
I'm passionate about my work with children. I don't see my work with Save the Children as a regular job. Some of the simple interventions we've made, and the difference they make to children, have made me so passionate.
There are many challenges to face, but with support from partners and other donors we are saving lives in Sierra Leone.
Priorities
Last month in Kroo Bay, we did a community mapping exercise to find out what the residents' priorities are. The first thing they mentioned was flooding - during the rainy season all their homes flood and you can't walk through the community. The second thing was the poor health services.
We will support the Ministry of Health - via the District Health Management Team - to improve the health services in Kroo Bay.
Urgent help required
We've assessed the clinic and the first thing that strikes you is the building itself. It's so rundown. We want to do some of the repairs - put up window screens, fix the locks and mend the leaking roof.
Another urgent concern is the lack of basic equipment and supplies. It's astonishing to find that there's no delivery kit! They lack simple things like scales, thermometres and blood pressure gauges - the simple things that should be in all health facilities.
We're also looking at strengthening the health system and training health workers to improve their knowledge and skills.
Educating families
We'll be working with care givers - mothers, fathers, family members - as well as young people to help them learn about health issues, including sexual and reproductive health. We'll be working with families to improve their health and to stop children from dying from preventable diseases.
We work in five other slums - not just Kroo Bay - so your support will beneft many different communities. Together, we can make a difference to the lives of those who live in Kroo Bay and beyond.
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Post a message
Post a message here and we'll pass it on. Responses will be posted on individual profile pages as soon as possible. Keep coming back to check!
Posted messages
These are some of the messages posted to the Save
the Children team
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Hi
Is it possible for me to post items out to you? Things you may be needing?
Dear Gilbert
Thank you for your offer. Comments like yours motivate us to continue with our work here in Kroo Bay.
Unfortunately it\'s not possible to post us any items because custom clearance procedures are complicated here in Sierra Leone. We also try to buy things locally to support the local economy.
We\'ve found that the best way to support is to donate through the Kroo Bay website. The money will be used to complete the clinic renovations, to buy vital equipment and to provide essential training.
You can also receive our latest news updates on the clinic renovations and on Kroo Bay in general by signing up to receive our Newsletter.
Warm Regards,
The Kroo Bay Team
hiya
hiya we ave been looking at your pics and they look so sad and make you want to cry thanks for all your info...
Is there a primary school in the Kroo Bay? It would be interesting to get a teacher's view/blog on the challenges and successes of primary school education in the Kroo bay.
My name is Dr. Robert Renner, a retired dentist, and I've worked with Save the Children for the last 6 years running a rural bush dental clinic, similar to your work in Kroo Bay, where we regularly(that is I go every six months) to see my 1000 children in the provinces in and around San Salvador. The children i see and treat have never been seen by a professional, dentist or physician, in their lives. It is gratifying to see your work in Kroo Bay. Do these children have any access to simple dental health prevention intervention. I certainly know these these children at risk need the intervention/diagnosis of a physician. Keep up you good work.
General Practicioners in the UK use once only forceps etc which are made of steel and are eminently autoclaveable or disinfectable for reuse. Would it be worth trying to set up a system of collecting these instruments for use overseas?
Dear Sue,
Thank you for your interest in helping our clinic. We are very excited with the new renovations, as we know the clinic will make a difference for children and families here in Kroo Bay.
Through this website we\'ve had many people offer to send us items for the clinic. We have been unable to take up on these kind offers mainly because of the high shipping costs and the complicated procedures we need to go through to get clearance from customs. However we appreciate your kind offer.
If you\'d like to receive updates on how the renovations are coming along don\'t forget to sign up to our newsletter.
We would like to send medical supplies to your clinic. Could you let us know how we could do this?
