On November 14, over 200 patients (mostly children) showed up in Ngandorhun for the first RHCI Gondoma Motorbike Outreach clinic. Located within the Tikonko Chiefdom, the Ngandorhun is a remote village in the Gondama Community Health Center (CHC) catchment area. Gondama is approximately 12 miles east of Tikonko Town, as the crow flies. By road, the distance is 20 miles.
Until 2014, the Gondama area had access to a large MSF (Doctors Without Borders) hospital for maternal and child health. However, MSF discontinued these services during the Ebola outbreak. Last January, RHCI Board Member Neil Craigan visited Gondama by motorbike and discovered huge medical needs. After many meetings with the Gondama CHC and community leaders, the RHCI staff in Sierra Leone and Minnesota agreed to partner with them to begin the Motorbike Outreach Clinic and start plans to reopen the vacant Birth Waiting Home.
RHCI purchased a motorbike and hired Joseph Sogbandi, formerly of World Vision, to facilitate the motorbike clinic. RHCI provides funds for supplies, medication and stipends for the health care workers who staff the clinic each Thursday.
Plans to begin construction on the RHCI Gondama Birth Waiting Home are being finalized, with plans to open in 2020.
pictures by Manley Jongopie