A cross section of the WACS in-coming executive being sworn into office at the just concluded WACS conference in Bamako-Mali
The 65th West Africa College of Surgeon’s (WACS) annual conference just concluded in the Malian capital-Bamako. Sierra Leone made history with 9 of its specialist doctors, including obstetricians and gynecologists, graduating after passing last year’s exams with flying colors. This is a significant achievement for Sierra Leone since it is the first time that the country sent as many doctors to attempt the WACS exam and all of them emerging top of their class beating countries like Ghana, Nigeria and others in the West Africa sub-region. These home trained specialists will now add quality to the sector by massively boosting health service delivery, particularly for women and children in need of specialty care.
What does this mean in the context of medical training and education for Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone is now duly recognized and highly respected in the medical landscape of Africa. The country regularly sends its medical personnel to assist other nations on the continent respond to public health emergencies, with the most recent being dispatching a team to help the Repbulic of Rwanda respond to the Marburg outbreak. The Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, has said that “medical education is a critical cornerstone to advancing health service delivery and fostering research and innovation.”
The graduation of the Specialists doctors would not have been possible without the efforts of these very capable trainers and coaches.
According to him, this will help shape the future of healthcare not only in Sierra Leone but the Africa continent as a whole. He places emphasis on intellectual and scientific discoveries in the health sector, stressing the need to nurture the future of medical breakthroughs. For Dr. Demby, graduation of the 9 specialist doctors at the just concluded WACS conference in Bamako is not just about adding numbers to the health workforce, it is indicative of the government’s unwavering commitment and strong desire to develop the health sector by deliberately investing in quality and fit-for-purpose professionals.
Putting it all into perspective
As indicated above, evidences abound for the need to increase the health workforce. Before now, the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), used to produce only 50 medical doctors per year. This was a grossly inadequate attempt at closing the patient health worker ratio gap as recommended by the World Health Organization. The WHO recommends a health worker to population ratio of around 44.5 doctors, nurses and midwives per 10,000 people to provide adequate care and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). What this means in simple terms is that roughly, 2.5 medical personnel are required per 1,000 people for improved primary healthcare interventions. However, the reality in Sierra Leone is dismal because health workers face a significantly higher burden due to severe shortages of medical personnel. Research indicates that Sierra Leone needs significantly more higher cadre healthcare providers in order to meet the average WHO recommended figures.
Our new set of OBGYN specialists from PCMH and ODCH who just graduated at the just concluded WACS conference in Mali. They will now add much needed quality to service provision in the health workforce.
The Ministry of Health, under the leadership of Dr. Austin Demby, is firmly committed to addressing this inequality by deliberately attempting to increase the number of new medical doctors who graduate from COMAHS each year by tenfold. Additionally, more advanced courses are now being introduced in the medical college.
The college used to provide undergraduate training programmes in medicines, pharmacy, medical laboratory sciences, nursing and midwifery. It now offers course in dentistry, public health, among other disciplines. With its determination to improving excellence in medical training, research and innovation, the Government of Sierra Leone is on the verge of establishing a postgraduate medical school to give young graduates the opportunity to pursue different areas of specialization in the medical field without having to travel abroad.
Some of the medical specialists pose for photo with the Ministry of Health’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer 2 in charge of clinical services after graduating at the recently concluded 65th WACS Conference.
As the government invests in the required human capital, It is also deliberate about investmenting in the healthcare infrastructure to create a comfortable landing zone to practice medicine. So, suffice it to say that there is a true healthcare revolution underway in Sierra Leone spearheaded by the Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby.
The Ministry is also expanding the medical landscape in an unprecedented manner as it prioritizes advancement in research, training and most critically, improved patient care. That is why the graduation of the 9 specialist Sierra Leonean doctors at the just concluded WACS conference in Mali is a true symbol of recognition of the country’s ambition to expand its potential in the medical ecosystem within sub-Saharan Africa.
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