Postgrad medical college for Sierra Leone

By Kemo Cham

Sierra Leone Health Minister Dr Abu Bakarr Fofana

[First published on www.politicosl.com] The Sierra Leone government has set in motion a plan to establish a post graduate medical school in response to a dire need for specialist medical training.

Minister of health and sanitation, Dr Abu Bakarr Fofanah recently confirmed the development shortly after the approval of the ‘Sierra Leone Council for Postgraduate Colleges Act 2016’ by parliament. The passing of the piece of legislation paved the way for the establishment of the body that would oversee the realization of a long held dream for many young medical doctors in the country.

Sierra Leone is struggling to bridge a huge doctor-patient ratio. But even at this the need for specialist practitioners have left young doctors struggling to meet requirements
for scholarship to study abroad.

Anesthetists, gynecologists, cancer specialists and pathologists are some of the specialist areas highly in need in the country. And because of unavailability of these specialists locally, many Sierra Leoneans have been forced to seek treatments abroad. But very few can foot the bills that run into thousands of US dollars.

The government also said it was spending thousands of US Dollars to train doctors abroad but that very few of them return home.

“Our young doctors are becoming frustrated because of the non-availability of specialist training,” Fofanah told journalists outside the parliament on Tower Hill shortly after the passing of the Act.

(C) Politico 10/02/16