I am a volunteer under the South- South Health Care Delivery Programme.

Dr Polycarp Uchenna Agu, Medical Officer, Moyamba Government Hospital, Moyamba District

I was recruited from Nigeria and posted to Sierra Leone to come and help out in the health delivery in the country.

We came in May last year (2005) and since my arrival in Moyamba, while my colleagues were sent to other parts of the country, I have been rendering basically clinical services in the hospital and occasionally Public Health services in the PHUs.

When I came, the health delivery status in this place (probably as a post-war effect), was really on the low side.

Poor conditions of service are causing a brain –drain, which is particularly affecting the health delivery sector, especially in the provinces, where most health personnel dread working.

This has given cause to the practice of using untrained personnel (volunteer staff), which negatively affects the health care delivery in this country.

We are also coping with the problem of lack of surgical materials (consumables) and good laboratory facilities, in addition to the problem of inaccessibility of the limited health facilities due to poor road network.

Good roads are a sine qua non to PHC delivery; they make it possible for people to be brought to hospital, when they are sick.

In the midst of these hurdles, we have been working tirelessly as a team to make some impact in the direction of trying to streamline and correct these problems.

 I have virtually been working 24hrs without rest. As there are not enough trained personnel to take care of patients especially surgical cases which need close monitoring, they call on me at all times.

It’s not been easy, but let me say that the impact has been felt as we have actually saved lives with the meager facilities available.

To cap it all, Government should try to do something about “this volunteerism” in the health sector, by improving remuneration and absorbing volunteers that have actually demonstrated interest in the work. This, I think, will help in the health situation in the country.