Val Alimony, patient with pre-eclampsia

We met a lady called Val Alimony who had Pre-Eclampsia which is a condition in pregnancy that is quite common but in some cases can be very dangerous. If a woman in the UK has it she is told to go home and rest and her blood pressure is monitored frequently, in some cases if her GP or Gynaecologist were worried she would be admitted to hospital for rest and observation. Va had walked about 5 miles to get to the clinic - 5 miles! 

Va had already had 6 pregnancies but only one child alive; all her deliveries had been home deliveries by TBA's (Traditional Birth Attendants). It had only been 7 months since her last pregnancy and she was already visibly pregnant, she had walked to the clinic by herself, alone. When we asked what her husband thought of this and whether he knew of her condition, she said that she had to go home rather than stay at the clinic and rest because he couldn't afford to pay to feed her and although she needs rest, he still requires her to look after him and do the chores!

Shona Lockyer, November 2005

Interview with Alusine Kamara, HIV/Aids Co-ordinator and Counsellor

Alusine is 41 years old, comes from the Rubats-Maba Chiefdom, which is 14 miles from Kambia. Alusine went to school at a Methodist Primary school in Bo followed by St. Andrews Secondary School and then Christ the King College - all in Bo.

Alusine is married to Mariana who is an MCHA and they have four children - one boy and three girls, Alusine delivered his last child himself!

Alusine went to medical school in Bo from 86-89 and left as a qualified Community Health Officer. He also attended the College of Medicine in 1995 and achieved his Certificate of Medicine in the same year. In 2001 he achieved his Diploma.

Since 1991 he has worked for the Health Ministry in Bo, Moyamba, Bont and for the last 10 years in Kambia. Alusine works currently as the HIV/Aids Co-ordinator and Counsellor as well as his involvement with the regular running of the hospital.

We asked him what are the biggest problems facing people in Kambia today?

"You may find this surprising but it is the common diseases still - Malaria, Diarrhoea and infections, also many people need operations particularly for Hernias".

Alusine is very supportive of the work of the PHUs (Peripheral Health Units) attached to the Hospital, which we as a charity are looking to increase our involvement with - he was in charge of one for nearly 8 years. Alusine believes strongly that we should do as much as we can to help train the TBA's (traditional birthing attendants) as he estimates that 70 - 80% of deliveries are TBA attended and not all TBA's are trained and many have cultural differences/beliefs. It was in one of the PHU's that Alusine delivered his eldest child.

Shona Lockyer, November 2005