AFRICA/SIERRA LEONE - A functional and "colorful" pediatrics ward for children in the new hospital in Pujehun

Thursday, 10 April 2014

Pujehun (Agenzia Fides) - The new hospital in Pujehun, in the southern district in Sierra Leone, was built in 2010, where there is a maternity and pediatrics ward. Along the way you will find the Main Hospital, which is the "old" government hospital, where there are all the other wards and where there is only one Sierra Leonean doctor for the entire district, which includes 6 health centers and 72 peripheral units. A pediatric surgeon, a pediatrician, two midwives, a anesthetist technician and about 25 nurses, all volunteers of the NGO Doctors with Africa CUAMM work in the new hospital complex.
Fides Agency received the testimony of Dr. Vito Sgro, a pediatrician who has been working in the hospital since early March. "Before describing my pedriatic ward, - writes Dr. Sgro -, I want to give you some information regarding the entire Maternity and Pediatrics ward. The architectural style used is highly questionable, in fact, the roof was initially open, allowing air and light to enter easily and this enabled the growth of a flourishing vegetation inside. However, when the first heavy rains arrived the water began to enter the hospital and staff rooms, so I thought it was best to cover the entire building with a roof of grey corrugated iron that does allow light to enter".
Then Dr. Sgro continues to talk about his pediatrics ward. "Facing the outside perimeter of the entire building, there are several large and well-lit rooms, constantly exposed to the sun, and, for this reason, the rooms are subjected to truly unsustainable temperatures in the afternoon. The lack of curtains on the large windows makes the room really unhealthy. So I asked how much it would cost to put bright colored curtains on the windows, and paint the walls of one of the largest rooms with pastel colors and scenes of African life, animals of the savannah, fishing, hunting scenes, starry skies etc. . . The staff and I are enthusiastic. There is great excitement, everyone suggests the name of a friend, a good artist and we cannot wait to begin the work!" adds Dr. Sgro, who counts on the support of all the friends who want to help these poor people, who are more than convinced of moving the project forward "at any cost". (AP) (Agenzia Fides 10/04/2014)


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