Celebrating 10 years of the King's Sierra Leone Partnership

The King’s Sierra Leone Partnership has had a significant impact across the healthcare sector in the past 10 years. Together, we have worked to strengthen the health workforce and improve services and quality of care. Some of these achievements include:

• Supporting the implementation of clinical services to manage infectious diseases like malaria and HIV
• Supporting the development of policies related to HIV and other infectious diseases
• Implementing the first functioning triage system for patients at Connaught Hospital, ensuring that the sickest patients receive care more quickly
• Supporting the development of the national referral system, ensuring that, in an emergency, patients in rural areas can access the care they need as quickly as possible
• Improving emergency and critical care: restoring the oxygen factory at Connaught Hospital, thereby reducing mortality rates in the intensive care unit by 20%; introducing triage and the Sierra Leone Early Warning Scores System (SLEWS) to alert doctors to patients needing most urgent attention; training on primary trauma care; developing and delivering emergency room training across 16 districts
• Establishing the first ever stroke register that provides local stroke risk and outcome data, essential to inform the development of stroke services in Sierra Leone
• Supporting the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) to strengthen undergraduate education for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.

Sharing memories and stories with our friends in Freetown was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on these successes and a reminder that our partnership goes much deeper than these achievements alone. These friendships provide a firm foundation on which we can co-develop meaningful projects with our partners and build a positive and supportive working environment which encourages people to develop and flourish. Read some of the memories and reflections from our friends and partners.

Sorie Samura, Referral Coordinator Manager, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Government of Sierra Leone

“I was privileged to have worked with your team for over seven years and benefited from your capacity building and mentorship model for local staff. You have supported me to enhance my personal, academic and professional growth from a volunteer student in 2014 to a manager of the National Patient Referral Coordination System” 

Matron Christine Cole, Connaught Hospital

“Happy 10 years celebration to KGHP in Sierra Leone. Your dedication to the health care system by demonstrating your commitment and loyalty to the newly created stroke unit within the Connaught hospital is highly appreciated. Thank you for all you have done, continue to keep up the good work.”

Hannah Lewis, Programme Manager, KGHP in Sierra Leone

"I'm honoured to be here for 10 years of King's in Sierra Leone! I love working in an organisation that champions collaboration, equity and delivering life-saving high-quality projects."

Patrick Sesay, Finance Officer, KGHP in Sierra Leone

“It has really been a pleasure since joining Kings in February 2020. I have had the experience to work with great people who are more than willing to pass their knowledge to young people for better transformation and to become better leaders.” 

Matron Jalloh, Senior Matron, Connaught Hospital

“One of the most sustainable ways to ensure effective nursing practices is through partnerships with health focused organisations that contribute to capacity improvement of health personnel.” [Speaking about the nursing education project that has been running in Connaught for the last three years and supports the professional development of the nurses].

Cecily Borgstein, Partnership Lead, Sierra Leone, KGHP

“One of my favourite things about our work is that in one day I can be sitting with the Deputy Chief Medical Officer discussing a strategy for emergency care for the country, followed by a meeting with the nursing education team to review guidelines that they are developing to support training at Connaught, and then spend a couple of hours in the stroke ward working on developing multidisciplinary team working and seeing patients with the therapy team. I think it’s a good reflection on KGHP and how we really do work at every level of the system in Sierra Leone, understanding that it is as important to work on the strategic development of policies, as it is to make sure that the nurses, therapists and doctors that we work with every day know what we are trying to achieve and know that we are working with, and for them, and their profession.” 

Ibby Kabia, Operations Officer, Sierra Leone, KGHP

“Happy 10 years Anniversary to King's Sierra Leone Partnership, and to all the management and colleagues, past and present, for this great organisation for your support to this partnership na mama salone. Healthcare strengthened - there is so much success to celebrate. I am so excited to be part of this success all these years, I am grateful for the opportunities and support the KSLP gives me to work for this lovely organisation. Looking forward to celebrating with you more decades with successes.”

If you are interested in volunteering in Sierra Leone, or with any of our other health partnerships, please check out our current volunteer posts.