Drama group performing at Kambia launch ©Amnesty International
We departed at 6.30am today for the long bumpy ride to Kambia. After a courtesy visit to the paramount chief, I spoke to a group of volunteers about Amnesty’s maternal mortality campaign and caravan. I also asked them to help collect petition signatures during the launch in the afternoon. So far, we have an estimated 3,000 signatures.
The Kambia launch was the best one yet. The paramount chief attended the launch along with local partners and the district medical officer welcomed us and made the opening speeches. One of the musicians travelling with us is the paramount chief’s grandson and everyone in Kambia was excited to see him and the other musicians perform.
There were a group of nurses standing behind me who reacted strongly to the play. The play, written by a Sierra Leonean and is being acted out by a local drama group.
In the first part, a woman in labour goes to the hospital and the nurse won’t treat her unless her husband pays. Her husband runs around desperately seeking money and she dies because she is not attended to on time.
The crowd in Kambia ©Amnesty International
The nurses denied that this happens and that they take payment from women only after they have delivered. Under the government policy, pregnant women should receive free healthcare, but staff aren’t paid adequately and sometimes charge patients to earn a living.
We also met a woman who told us that her sister died two days ago during childbirth. Her sister and husband lived in Freetown and they had enough money to go to a private clinic. She was overdue, and according to the woman, the doctor performed a caesarean section on her sister unnecessarily and both she and the baby died.
The launch ended with the screening of the film. We then had dinner with the local partners to discuss the day’s events and follow-up activities. Tomorrow morning we have another early start back to Makeni where we are meeting with NGOs to discuss longer-term work.
We do realise how far we have come from war; interventions from Donors, Govts., communities and individuals, organisations/International community towards realisation of the MDG goals 4&5 -Reduce Child mortality and Improve maternal health but there is more to be done. There is need; Govt. to be accountable for both to donors and its citizens(intended beneficiaries), as duty bearers, the focus should be needs and well-being of the people . Provide adequate and quality health facilities (human and material resources-trained medical staff , up to grass level, equipped medical centres. Employment and better paid facilities to avoid taking bribes and ensure commitment to the medical principles.This brings us to the point of corruption; some authorities(administrators etc), go ’seek ye first thy pocket and the rest will be looked after’. Donors have poured a lot of development aid but has the aid been used for its intended purposes. We should all as Sierra Leoneans, advocate and committ ourselves to our people and our country, support each other and support the govt. in the right move for a better future and well-being of our people. Remember, women are the backbone of any developed nation; give them good health, they will produce healthy children who will be strong for the economic workforce, give them good health services, they will contribute immensely to eradication /alleviation of poverty(they work on farms, sell in the market, serve as teachers, nurses-they are just everywhere trying to make Sierra Leone and the world a better place to live in. WAKE UP SIERRA LEONEANS WE CAN MAKE IT WITH GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.