The History of Masanga Hospital
Masanga hospital is located in the Tonkolili district, Sierra Leone, serving a population of 400,000 people with unmet healthcare. It started out as a Seventh Day Adventist sponsored leprosy hospital in the 60's, developing a good reputation as a district hospital. And today is a 120 bed NGO run government hospital providing affordable treatment to one of the poorest populations in the world.
In the civil war (1991 to 2002) it was used as a base by the rebels, the hospital was almost destroyed and had to close in 1997. The people of Masanga village did not give up hope and continued to maintain the hospital grounds.
In 2006 Dr Peter Bo Jorgensen, a Danish surgeon, in partnership with a group of UK based Sierra Leone Adventists, led the negotiation of a new 15 year concession with the Government of Sierra Leone to re-open and run the hospital with the objective of making it fully self-sustainable.
Due to the vast damage to the hospital grounds and buildings caused by the war, the project was named Masanga Hospital Rehabilitation Project. The vision has remained consistent and incredible progress has been made in a relatively short time frame.
Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the World. It has lived through a terrible and violent civil war that has left institutions such as the health services in a desperate condition. Official figures from the Government (GOSL) and the Ministry of Health & Sanitation (MOHS) indicate a severe shortage of doctors and a lack of health services in both the primary and secondary sector. Sierra Leone have also suffered heavily in the last years do to Ebola epidemic.
There are roughly 150 registered doctors in the country for a population of 5.8 million. The infant mortality rate is 148 per 1000, and children’s mortality for the under fives is 12.6.%. The life expectancy at birth is 51/49 male/female.
It is evident, therefore, that there is an urgent and pressing need for medical facilities, personnel and equipment to counter these massive health problems.
Masanga’s Capabilities Today
Masanga provides an important contribution to the district's healthcare provision. For over two years it has been the only Community Hospital in the district while the hospital in Magburaka has been closed for restoration. In the surrounding villages there are a total of 87 Peripheral Health Units (PHUs) and 8 Health Centre’s, all of whom refer patients to Masanga Hospital.
Since re-opening in 2006 more than 100 000 patients have been treated. In 2012 17800 patients attended the outpatient department, 3731 patients were admitted to the wards and 1191 surgical operations were performed. 526 babies were delivered.
Departments
Outpatients Department
Run primarily by local Community Health Officers (CHOs) treating between 50-100 patients on a daily basis. There is a wound clinic for treatment of lepromatous ulcerations and other tropical ulcers; a laboratory; a pharmacy/dispensary; and a small, but vital, blood bank.
The Grace Emergency Admissions Unit
The newest addition to the Hospital is the Grace Emergency Admissions Unit, opened in January 2013, where patients are admitted for primary assessment, diagnosis and treatment and if necessary referred to other departments in the Hospital. As a 24 hour monitored facility, the most critical patients can be given special care.
As well as the above departments, Masanga Hospital has a pediatric ward, maternity ward, surgical ward, operating theatres, radiological department and HIV clinic.