Alfred Fornah: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 6 November 2018:
A team of Sierra Leonean Diaspora Medical professionals from United Kingdom, Switzerland and the United State of America are in Sierra Leone to deliver free medical services in the Kailahun District. The Medics are in country to take part in the second phase of the Migration and Development in Africa ( MIDA) Project.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues at a meeting held at the Office of Diaspora Affairs (ODA) in Freetown, Dr Charles Senessi who is an influential Sierra Leonean Diaspora Medical professional, said with enthusiasm that they are happy to come back to sierra Leone to render their services to the country as a way of giving back .
“we are quite happy to comeback after we participated in the first medical mission in Koinadugu District last year,” he said.
IOM’s Project Manager for Diaspora Engagement, Akao Kunikazu noted that the health programme is an important component of the MIDA project.
He said that the Diaspora Medical professionals will travel to Kailahun District on Wednesday 7th November to start the free vital medical care in hospitals and health centres; and also to share their knowledge and skills with the local health care workers in that part of the country.
The Director of ODA – Dr Kallay Musa Conteh, thanked the medical professionals for participating in the MIDA program. He said he was impressed with their performance during their previous assignment in Koinadugu District.
The diaspora, he said is such an important constituency that need to be tapped for the development of the country.
“The president is aware about the contribution of diasporans, and that is why he mentioned them in his speech during the state opening of parliament in May this year.” He said.
The objective of the MIDA programme is to assist in strengthening the institutional capacities of African governments to manage and realise their development goals, through the transfer of relevant skills, financial and other resources of Africans in the diaspora for use in development programmes in their home countries.
The MIDA project in Sierra Leone is implemented by IOM in collaboration with other institutions including ODA.
About the author
Alfred Fornah is the Communication Officer in the Office of Diaspora Affairs, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
This is the type of news all Sierra Leoneans are happy to receive. Sierra Leone has suffered a lot because of lack of medical professionals and personnel. These doctors are highly needed in the country where everything is scarce. I personally congratulate the IOM. The IOM is great and any future government must work with them to lessen the inadequate healthcare in the country.