Derriford Hospital to twin with hospital project in Sierra Leone

The twinning of two hospitals, thousands of miles apart is to bring mutual benefit to the staff and patients of both organisations.

Derriford Hospital and the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD) have been helping to support the rehabilitation of Masanga Hospital in the Tonkolili district of Sierra Leone since 2008.

Students are able to get a real insight into tropical medicine, global health and have the opportunity for research in a challenging but safe environment. In return manpower is provided to Masanga on a voluntary basis by hospital staff and medical equipment destined for the skip can be given a new lease of life in West Africa.

In the last two years students studying remote medicine have played a central role in initiating clinical services at the new admissions unit.

Founded by Dr Austin Hunt and Dr Sarah Patching from Derriford Hospital, the MasangaUK charity have provided the opportunity for over 40 local clinicians and medical students to get a real insight into tropical medicine and global health as well as providing the opportunity for research in a challenging and unusual environment, while supporting the needs of the local community.

As a testament to the success and support staff at Derriford Hospital has provided to Masanga Hospital Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust Chief Executive Ann James has confirmed that the two hospitals will be twinned in an NHS partnership.

Speaking about the project Ann said: “The relationship with the Masanga project is integral to the philosophy of care at Derriford Hospital. It provides an excellent opportunity for local clinicians to work in a different setting and gain new skills of working with communities.

“Supporting Masanga is a commitment to a long term partnership, an on-going vocation and offers a unique educational experience that is at the heart of health. It is a great privilege that the Board of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust supports this endeavour.”

Dr Austin Hunt said: "In the last five years we have raised £100,000 to fund the building of the emergency admissions unit, a Landcruiser vehicle and to cover monthly running costs. We are now at the point where it would be helpful to access grants from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Department for International Development (DFID).

“It has been a huge boost for us to twin Masanga with Derriford as it will help us with the application process for these grants and for that we are really grateful to Ann James for taking an interest in the project.

“In 2014 we are hoping to increase the input from our nursing staff to help with the new nursing college at the site."

Masanga Hospital is in the middle of the jungle in Sierra Leone, West Africa. When the brutal civil war came to Masanga the hospital was forced to close and became a barracks for the rebel army. At the end of the war in 1997, the looted and neglected hospital had become overgrown by jungle.

Sierra Leone remains a country that is a long way behind in terms of international development, and healthcare is an area in which it especially needs assistance. The project aims to establish a sustainable hospital run by Sierra Leoneans in the longer term but the benefit to our trust, through this partnership should also be recognised.