Building capacity in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone in West Africa has a population of 8.6 million people. After several years of instability, the country is now going through a process of strengthening and renewal, however burns continue to be a major public health problem. A 2019 survey at the Connaught Hospital, Freetown, found that burns were the 4th most common trauma presentation among adults, and the 3rd among children. 80% of burns are due to scalds, mainly through open fires in homes and markets; poorly regulated industries also contribute to the high incidence.

An Interburns assessment of burns services on behalf of Resurge (Africa) in 2019 found major gaps. The most significant was the lack of training among health staff at all levels. After the burns mass casualty disaster in 2021, there has been greater focus on strengthening the service, including the construction of a dedicated burn unit and capacity building.

We were delighted to return to Freetown in April for the first phase of an 18-month programme, funded by the Choithram International Foundation. The programme includes setting a baseline for quality improvement (QI) using Interburns Delivery Assessment Tool (DAT), and training at community, intermediate and advanced levels.

Staff held lively DAT assessments at the Choithram Memorial and Connaught Hospitals. These highlighted gaps and set out achievable recommendations such as developing policies and procedures and focussing on coordination and strengthening the leadership team.

37 nurses, therapists, nutritionists and social workers took part in a one-day Essential Burn Care (EBC) training. 17 of these attended an EBC training of trainers ahead of planned co-delivery of EBC in November. The most frequently cited suggestion for improvement was for more training over a longer period of time.

Work has started on follow up plans which include tailoring Community Burn Prevention (CBP) and Basic Burn Care (BBC) materials for delivery and preparation for a 5-day West Africa regional Advanced Burn Care (ABC) Rehabilitation course.

Thanks to the Choithram International Foundation for funding, to the Ministry of Health, the leadership and staff at Choithram Memorial and Connaught Hospitals; Resurge(Africa), and Kings Sierra Leone Partnership.

Training would not be possible without our amazing international and local faculty who make Interburns what it is. Our gratitude to: Nadia Depetris (Italy), Opoku Ware Ampomah (Ghana), Sian Falder (UK), Alberta Amissah Nyarko (Ghana), Lucy Kynge (UK). From Sierra Leone: Martha Forde, Balansama Jama, Lee Lei Taluva, Maximillan Obed Bangura, Mohamed Kargbo