In August 2023, Dr. Hassan Sesay called regarding the portable ultrasound machine he uses at Bai Bureh Memorial Hospital and on Sundays at the Evans Medical Center for pregnancy diagnostic clinics. Their ultrasound machine was not working, and he had to call off clinics after just a few patients. Dr. Sesay charges a nominal fee (approximately $2 USD) per ultrasound. These portable ultrasound machines have a list price of about $6,000.00, a prohibitive cost for Dr. Sesay currently.
Last summer I had been referred to TriMedX Foundation regarding medical equipment and biomedical engineering teams that do assessments, repairs, and training of medical personnel in developing countries. They have been visiting Sierra Leone for a number of years. The teams help local personnel to troubleshoot and perform maintenance on various medical equipment. After introducing myself and our organization to TriMedX personnel, I made the introduction of Dr. Sesay to TriMedX as well. An upcoming trip to Sierra Leone was being planned, and we were able to have the Evans Medical Center and Bai Bureh Memorial Hospital included for a site visit. Dr. Sesay also communicated medical equipment needs via WhatsApp video, and TriMedX determined that a portable GE Logiq E Ultrasound would be donated to Dr. Sesay for his medical facilities. The team was to travel in early December 2023.
Due to some political unrest in Sierra Leone, the TriMedX trip was postponed. However, since the Rashid S. Conteh Memorial Foundation Board Member, Swaray Conteh, was scheduled to travel to Sierra Leone, the suitcase with the equipment was shipped to him. Swaray checked the extra bag with his luggage and handed it over to Dr. Sesay. The ultrasound machine is working and will provide much needed diagnostic capability. Although most people associate ultrasound with prenatal healthcare to monitor the mother and fetus during pregnancy, ultrasound is also used to diagnose a wide range of symptoms. For example, ultrasound is a key tool to diagnose acute appendicitis and gallbladder disease as well as other uses.
Dr. Sesay provided the attached video and provided permission to post it on our website. He thanked the Rashid S. Conteh Memorial Foundation for our assistance and TriMedX Foundation for the donation. TriMedX has rescheduled their trip to February 2024. Dr. Sesay hopes to learn more about the settings to assist in utilizing the full functionality of the machine when the TriMedX team visits the clinic next month.
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