Our final true day in Sierra Leone had arrived in a flash. We knew we had to make this day count to the best of our ability. Early in the morning, our team traveled to the DHMT for the In Charge meeting that was to be held throughout the day. Thanks to the DMO, we were allowed a few minutes to describe the work we did to a massive group of nurses spanning over 90 different PHUs in Bombali District. After our pitch, we rushed over to the Makeni Regional Hospital where we would be hosting a workshop for the medical staff there.
In the year prior, the team had hosted a workshop that felt uncomfortable, given we were teaching about sickle cell disease to people more qualified and knowledgeable than ourselves. This time, we came with the intent to challenge the doctors to problem solve themselves. By providing the issues in a very objective format and using the tools of group discussion and focus groups, we were able to fully engage the medical staff with a new twist on attacking sickle cell disease. Our workshop was a resounding success with much of the staff actually predicting the elements of our strategic plan. It was reassuring to see that what we were doing was exactly what was imagined and needed to build this end-to-end system for SCD care and management in the country. We also were able to incorporate the doctors into our venture, taking contacts and planning to invite them to join strategy-specific WhatsApp groups with SicklED members.
Next, the teams split up. Addy and Owen were dropped off at the print shop, preparing to print and collect the posters for distribution later during the In Charge meeting. Nicole and Amelie went to SHAFS in order to record footage for the CME course and other educational materials in the works. Having the patients of sickle cell disease speak about their experience is invaluable for understanding the true face of the disease. Jake and Nancy returned to the World Hope Office in order to attend a webinar on blood techniques. The team was completely separated.
After quite some time, Addy and Owen had finally received some of the finished posters and returned to the DHMT meeting. There, we worked to organize our posters with the Newtrition posters in order to ensure all of the PHUs got one of each. Standing in front of the crowd, we prepared contact sheets to help incentivize hanging the posters up in the PHUs. The first group of nurses to respond with pictures would be guaranteed additional materials and supplies in the coming years. Tensions rose, however, upon the introduction of t-shirts. After much commotion, the organizers were forced to prepare a lottery to pass out the shirts. With their work finished, Addy and Owen left the DHMT to head back to the office. All of the other members had been at the office, finalizing their work. We took one last grand group photo out on the balcony and prepared to return to the hotel for our last night in Sierra Leone.