By Janet A Sesay
A special Kombra organization “One Salone,” situated at 27 main Airport Ferry Road Lungi has on Saturday 16th December, 2023 at the Lungi Government Hospital, launched “free medical surgery scheme where harnea and appendix patients will be treated free of cost. This occasion was attended by members of Parliament, chiefdom heads, police officers and other stakeholders who pledge their support to the scheme.
Currently, the surgical operation will deal with people from Kafu Bullom, Lokomasama and Kamasondo chiefdoms. The Airport Road as time goes on will be extended to other places in the country.
During the ceremony, Mr Bomboli Kamara Secretary-General of ‘One Salone Organization’ in his statement said they had been undertaking activities dealing with human rights and justice.
He however stated that the only way to achieve project objectives is peace building which brings about development. “The country can develop as long as there is peace,” he stressed.
Kamara also informed the audience that the organisation also supported educational activities as all this forms part of their agenda and they also wanted to see a healthy population in the country. In the past, he went on, they have taken different activities adding that paramount chiefs, parliamentarians and other stakeholders have been supporting their activities.
He says the free medical surgery is for the less privileged who do not have money to pay for the service. He called on the people to reach out people with harnea and appendix and do their surgery as most people are ashamed of such illnesses.
The free medical surgery, according to Kamara, is being coordinated by one Salone Organization owing to the love that they have for their people. The Chief Executive Officer of One Salone Organization, Mr. Soka said they were doing this project to save lives.
He said they had love for the people in the community, adding that they had also dealt with past projects from which people of the community benefitted a lot. He commended Doctor Yillah and team for the support towards their initiative and said they were always together to improve people’s lives.
He also appealed to government to issue pin codes to nurses at Lungi Government Hospital as they are doing great jobs.
In his address, Doctor Yillah, Medical Superintendent at the Lungi Government hospital expressed joy for the free medical surgery scheme, adding that he had been the doctor of the hospital for six years.
He said the countyr’s economic is difficult as many cannot afford food let alone the costly medical service. Dr. Yillah said the launching as timely as lot of people out there wanted this operation but they could not afford the money.
Honorable Ibrahim Kellie, in his statement, comended One Salone Organisation for such a laudable initiative. He said the organisation had helping them as parliamentarian in bringing development to their chiefdoms.
He also appreciated Dr Yillah and team for keeping the hospital well afloat as well as the progress made so far. Honourable Kellie promised to offer support to the free medical scheme and would support the hospital whatever they could offer.
Honourable Sankoh Yilllah, in his statement, said Kaffu Bullom chiefdom was one of the big chiefdoms and this initiative done by one Salone Organization was powerful and the best.
He appealed to all to work together to make the Chief Executive Officer of the organization reach the health demands of the people of Kafu Bullom chiefdom. He therefore pledge Le5m in support of the project.
Honourable Shek Kargbo also commended One Salone Organisation for the initiative, adding that politics is over and what their focus is to empower the people.
He says “health is wealth” and will make sure that he communicates the One Salone initiative to Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, vice president of Sierra Leone and see how he will support the move.
Opposition leader in parliament, Honourable Abdul Kargbo leader of the opposition also commended ‘One Salone Organisation’ for the initiative. He said we could damage a lot of things and repair them but one thing that could not be repaired is life.
He said saving life is a blessing from God, adding that this initiative from one Salone Organisation is very good as several people have died of such illness because owing to lack of funds.
Honourable Kargbo said what One Salone Organisation is doing is a novelty and pray for God’s blessing. He said nobody was forcing them but they just decided to save lives of people which is a very good thing and donated US$2, 000 to the project.
Mr. Mohamed Fahad, Chief Executive Officer of Great Scarcies Group of Companies commended one Salone Organisation, adding that his counterpart, Mr. Soka informed him about the people’s health challenges.
When somebody had money, he said, they needed to lend a helping hand to the less privileged who cannot afford money to undergo the surgical operation.
The key note speaker of the occasion was Paramount Chief member of Parliament, Bai Shebora Sheba Gbereh III of Kafu Bullom chiefdom. He thanked God for such project adding that it was important for Kafu Bullom chiefdom and it is also good when God touches the hearts of good people in the community.
He said sometimes it was not about money but the love the organisation have for the people of the community. “The organiSation did not have money but thE initiative will positively impact on the lives of the people in the community,” he said.
He also said Doctor Yillah has brought changes to Lungi Government Hospital and his team haD added value to the scheme.
He said they knew how the condition of the hospital in years gone by as they grew up in the community. He called on parliamentarians present to come together in building the community adding that it was a very big responsibility for them in bringing development to the community.
He said politics was over and was time for them to come together to make a difference in the lives of their people. The Local Unit Commander, Ranger Division said this initiative was very good and this has made heath issue a security business, adding that the hospital had been working together with the police.
He said they worked together during the Ebola and the Corona pandemic in terms of quarantine. “If assault or drowning is reported, the first place people will visit is the hospital to get more information,” he said, adding that the police and hospital staff would sensitise the people.
He also promised to give their support in one way or the other for the initiative of one Salone Organisation to be a success. A representative of Kamasondo chiefdom also thanked one Salone Organisation for the brilliant idea.
He said they had benefitted a lot from past projects of this organisation, and a lot of people would also benefit from free medical scheme.
Another representative of Lokomasama chiefdom said people with sicknesses were in large number and we needed help.
He said “this is a very good venture the organisation is taking,” he said as some people are ashamed of the sicknesses so that they were happy and would help in every way to make sure this initiative become a success.