IRC boosts free health care in Kenema

In a bid to complement the efforts of President Ernest Bai Koroma in providing free health care for lactating mothers, pregnant women and children below the age of five and improving health conditions of the people of Sierra Leone, a non-Governmental international organization, International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been boasting the free health care service in Kenema by proving support to the Kenema Government Hospital and the PHU’s within the district.

Speaking to this reporter the Regional Field Coordinator of the I RC, Mr. Alusine Kpulun, said that the IRC started supporting the free health care since its inception in 2011, adding that they are supporting the Kenema Government Hospital with the maintenance of two ambulances, fueling, paying of salaries to the ambulance drivers, and even fueling and maintenance of the blood bank generator.

In an interview with one pregnant woman who described herself as a resident of Combema village in the Nongowa chiefdom, Kenema district, eastern province of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Mariama Foday, she said that she has given birth to six children, four of whom were born without the free health care service which cause her and her husband huge sums of money. She disclosed that with the free health care the money they were using on medicines they are now using to construct a building.

A man who described himself as critic and a resident of Kenema city, Nongowa chiefdom, Kenema district eastern province of Sierra Leone said he has being visiting hospitals in other districts since the implementation of the free health care and that most of the government hospitals and health centres do not treat patients with respect. He also said that most of these hospitals do not give drugs to the patients but that when he came to Kenema district especially the Kenema government it was a different case.

Speaking to the Hospital Secretary, Mr. Pious Saffa, he said that they were grateful to the I RC for their support to them over the years.

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