By Súper King.
As part of her annual humanitarian gesture and to place more priority on those that are affected with cancer, especially with Women Reproductive Cancers, Madam Tina Davies OBE accompanied by her elder sister Madam Josephine Ngebeh who is also in humanitarian work, on Friday 4th December 2020 donated Oramorph and other medication worth more than £3,000 to the Palliative Care Team.
Before the donation, Madam Davies went to the palliative care office to check the Control Drugs record to ensure previous donation went to the desired beneficiaries. According to Madam Tina Davies OBE, cancer causes a lot of physical and psychological pain. This control drug donation is to relieve the physical pain and suffering of the men, women and children in their palliative stage of cancer.
She stated “I will love to see a realistic standard where patient’s pathway is designed and followed from diagnosis to treatment and palliative care to ensure patients journey is made easy”. She also mentioned the need for training of the nurses and the need to treat patients and their loved ones with empathy, dignity and respect as that will improve the quality of care and patient experience.
Dr. Mary Bunn, the Palliative Care Specialist, who received the donation with so much joy expressed her thanks and appreciation to Madam Tina Davies and her family for such a kindly gesture. She says “this is not the first donation we have received from Tina, similar donations of such high economic and psychological value were received in June 2019”.
She continued by saying “Tina understands the need of cancer patients as she has the experience as a professional working in Oncology”. She expressed her admiration and concluded that; it takes few people in Sierra Leone to have such a good heart, especially to think about the needs and suffering of cancer patients. This medication is not part of government free healthcare drugs and not available in pharmacies in country as they are very expensive. She encourages others to do the same.
Mrs. Ramatu Kanu one of the post operative patients who had a left mastectomy (removal of the breast)expressed her gratitude for these free medication as she is assured of being pain free. She maintained that she has lost her left breast but she gives thanks and praises to God and the medical team for a successful surgery, which enables the restoration of her life. “My life is more important for now because with a healthy life, I will gradually recover from the psychological effect of the surgery”, with a mixed feeling, she says in Temne:
Nursing Sister Theresa Kamara in charge and other on the female surgical ward (2) during the donation also expressed their thanks and appreciation to Madam Davies and family. They affirmed that the donation was prompt as oramorphine opiates and controlled drugs donated were quite expensive and not readily available in country.
Individual Christmas packages containing COVID-19 hygiene (two clothes reusable face masks, 1 bottle of alcoholic sanitizer) and assorted confectionaries were also distributed to all the patients on the ward.
