The mobile clinic goes out every week to a different site and usually sees around 30-40 patients, although some days as many as 120 have been seen. It should be noted though, that this is not a “screening clinic” as many mobile clinics are that see 200-300 patients in a few hours. This is a full clinic where we obtain demographic data, full vitals, consultation and dispensing of medications, dressings and injections as needed.
Early on it was clear that the population most in need of care was the children, it also became clear that the people in these small villages around Sierra Leone are desperately poor and are often faced with the choice of food or medications, and even $2 or $3 is too much. Thanks to a grant from Restore a Child we were able to develop a charity mobile children’s clinic. For 3000 leones ($0.40) each, children are evaluated, treated and given a 1 kilogram bag of rice. Restore a Child underwrites the expenses with a grant (gift) for which we and the people in rural Sierra Leone are grateful. The program is wildly popular as now mothers and fathers can bring their sick children to the mobile clinic knowing that they will be able to get care.
This year we expanded the mobile clinic to a more traditional screening clinic, for hypertension. Hypertension is a huge problem for Africa, and as the “silent killer” most people have no idea they have it. Once a week the mobile clinic team goes out to one of the markets or some other well populated, busy place and sets up their free Blood Pressure Clinic. They will usually screen 140 to 180 people and find about 20 to 30 people with high BP, sometimes very high. The staff carry BP meds with them which is then dispensed for those willing to start treatment. Thanks to the generosity of some of our supporters we also have funds to assist those who need the medications but can’t afford them. The staff then do lifestyle teaching and encourage the folks to follow up, either at the hospital or at least at the next BP screening.
