Please note this partnership has now finished.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including stroke, are the leading cause of death worldwide. More than 75% of CVD deaths happen in low and middle income countries like Sierra Leone. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), stroke is responsible for 451,000 deaths each year in Africa alone.
With no stroke specific healthcare staff in Sierra Leone, the Bo Stroke Health Partnership aimed to develop skills and expertise to better support and improve outcomes for stroke patients in the country.
Former Stroke Nurse, Patrick Lebbie, worked for many years in stroke care at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. When he retired, he challenged himself to set up the first stroke service in Bo, Sierra Leone’s second city. Patrick grew up in Sierra Leone and is committed to the development of its healthcare services.
In Bo, Patrick developed the partnership by securing a building designated as the stroke ward, recruiting nursing staff, and launching a stroke-specific training programme.
Patrick and staff at Addenbrooke’s Stroke Unit fundraised to kickstart partnership activity, which aimed to:
- Fund electricity costs for the stroke unit,
- Raise £3000 for travel expenses for the staff, mainly volunteers, to work at the unit, and
- Buy basic but fundamental monitoring equipment such as blood pressure machines.
WHO reveals leading causes of death and disability worldwide: 2000-2019
Kings College London, Stroke Care in Sierra Leone
Interested in getting involved?
Head to our becoming a member or becoming a partner pages to see how to get involved.
“Collaboration and dialogue with medical professionals overseas enables a broader perspective of the needs of less well-off populations, fosters understanding, particularly when treating migrants here in the UK, and leads to a greater appreciation of the NHS… Second hand descriptions are no substitute for being there.”
Peter Gough GP, Cambridge Global Health Partnerships Advisory Committee member and volunteer
