ANNUAL REPORT 2020 – 2021
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE SIERRA LEONE supporting access to health care and urgent medical treatment for communities and individuals in Sierra Leone.
A C T I O N O N S P E C I A L I S T C A R E
Image: Warrah M Dainkeh, Feimata Jusu, Jeremiah Charles and Israel Charles collect the donated Altruist sunscreen
ANNUAL REPORT 2020 – 2021
Medical Assistance Sierra Leone supports access to health care and urgent medical treatment for communities and individuals in Sierra Leone. The organisation works with others to raise awareness of the key health and development issues facing communities in Sierra Leone – and to generate interest and support in meeting the health needs of the country.Working with local partners in the government health service and with a range of local NGOs, Medical Assistance Sierra Leone supports training for health workers, awareness-raising around health issues, and provides a range of medication and equipment to under-resourced services.
1. INTRODUCTION
The reporting year 2020 to 2021 was a challenging one, with COVID impacting on the work of our partners in Sierra Leone and affecting our ability to generate support for the range of work taking place. COVID resulted in people staying away from health services for fear of catching the virus and we saw smaller numbers of new epilepsy patients over the year.
We continued to send PPE to clinics and NGO delivery partners, as partners reported a lack of available protection. Epilepsy awarenessraising activities took place with much smaller groups, including individual households. The Epilepsy Support Workers also took on COVID awareness as part of their role, working closely with local health teams.
This year saw the end of our large three-year programme with ProVictimis Foundation, with joint funding from the UK’s FCDO. The project outcomes are significant – over 6,000 new patients have come forward for treatment and there is a greater awareness of epilepsy in the communities where the project has been most active. However we cannot remain complacent: around 90% of people with epilepsy in Sierra Leone are not receiving treatment. Patient numbers need to increase dramatically and with urgency; we remain committed to working with
partners to bring epilepsy treatment to as many people as possible.
MASL continues to work with partners on increasing the numbers of people accessing epilepsy treatment, and advocacy and support to those experiencing isolation and discrimination as a result of the condition. We are prioritising maintaining the clinic and medication supplies as the core service, and delivering training, awareness-raising and support groups when resources allow.
Our work on supporting Persons with Albinism expanded this year; we were pleased to receive a very generous
Image: Mary Johnson at school in Freetown
donation of pallets of sunscreen from Altruist and together with the Sierra Leone Association of Persons With Albinism (SLAPWA) we published a booklet on Advice & Support For People With Albinism and Caregivers. The sunscreen was distributed nationally by SLAPWA at multiple forums, along with sunglasses and other protective materials. Pilot ophthalmology and dermatology clinics began in Freetown.
The report below details MASL activities from October 2020 to September 2021.
2. SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY IN SIERRA LEONE
Our large epilepsy project, funded by Pro-Victimis Foundation and match-funded by UK Aid/FCDO came to an end this year. Over the project’s three years we reached over 6,000 additional patients with epilepsy, meaning that there are now around 11,000 patients registered across the country. The evaluation showed that awareness-raising is contributing towards reduced stigma and promoting a more accurate understanding of epilepsy. We are seeing people come to clinic sooner after their first seizure as information about the condition and the availability of clinics becomes more widely available.
ANNUAL REPORT 2020 – 2021
Image: Distributing the Jariatu has Epilepsy books in Mano, Dasse
We support patients with six epilepsy drugs. We fundraise for and ship all of these drugs from the UK, except one - Roweepra. We are enormously grateful for our partnership with the Row Foundation who annually donate cartons of Roweepra (levetiracetam); this quality generic drug has helped to manage seizures in patients who were not responding to the other drugs.
the local school - who happens to be the father of the late Baby Sam. He is using the reader to educate pupils as well as their parents about epilepsy. Once you start a conversation about epilepsy you really see how the condition is found across all of our communities - and the lack of information and support is causing so much pain and problems for people.’
We were pleased to also receive support from Row Foundation this year for the schools awareness-raising work. Our publication Jariatu Has Epilepsy is being used in schools across the country. Martyna Foday of Freetown Teachers College has been helping to take these books into the community:
MASL and our partners welcomed the news in July 2021 that the United Nations Human Rights Council passed the first ever resolution on Harmful Practices: Accusations of Witchcraft and Ritual Attacks (HPAWR). We had submitted some evidence to this process based on the lived experience of people with epilepsy and sickle cell disease with whom we work in Sierra Leone. Huge thanks to the Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network for leading on this important work; the resolution will now be followed by a report and recommendations for Member States.
‘ I cannot emphasise how much these books are needed. In Semabu in Njala Komboya chiefdom, I heard about a girl by the name of Baby Sam with epilepsy. People believed she was devil-possessed. One morning she was washing her clothes in the river and she had a seizure. The other girls with her were too afraid to help - they left her and ran to the village to report what had happened. By the time that people came to help from the village she had drowned. I have shared the books with the teacher in charge at
3. SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM
MASL began working with the Sierra Leone Association of Persons with Albinism (SLAPWA) in 2019. There
are multiple local beliefs and myths surrounding albinism in Sierra Leone and very little support for the practical health problems faced by those with the condition.
‘Studies in Africa suggest that most people with albinism die from skin cancer between the ages of 30 and 40’.*
It is estimated that over 80% of Persons With Albinism in Sierra Leone will die an early death from skin cancer. Protective sun cream is expensive in Sierra Leone and out of reach of most people. Protection from the sun prevents cancer, saves lives and needs to start from an early age.
3.1 Shipping of Donated Sunscreen
Our partnership with sunscreen company Altruist Sunscreen continued and this year we were very pleased to be offered 5 pallets of sunscreen (8,000 tubes) free of charge for the Sierra Leone Association of Persons with Albinism. We fundraised online to cover the costs of their shipment to Sierra Leone and these were distributed at ‘Living Safely With Albinism’ forums at multiple locations across the country. For over 95% of the Persons with Albinism attending the forums, this was the first time that they had used sunscreen.
3.2 Production of Advice Booklet
With the support of the University of Lancaster and NGO Standing Voice, MASL and SLAPWA developed a Sierra Leonean version of Standing Voice’s guide for Persons With Albinism (which they had developed for the Malawi context). We commissioned new photographs (kindly donated by Michael Duff of duff.tv), designed and printed the booklet. The booklet has been distributed widely at ‘Living Safely With Albinism’ forums where the sunscreen was also given out along
*Report by I.Ero, Independent Expert for the United Nations, 2015.
ANNUAL REPORT 2020 – 2021
support for the family, including renting accommodation so that they remain close to the hospital until the triplets are older.
with donated sun protection clothing and umbrellas collected by MASL from Reading Buses and Great Western Railway lost property offices.
This is support that is urgently needed; in the last year we have lost SLAPWA members to cancer despite multiple operations as surgical treatment started too late to be effective. Surgical options only are available in Sierra Leone currently.
5. FUNDRAISING
3.3 Pilot Eye Care Clinic with Ophthalmologist In June 2021, to mark International Albinism Awareness Day, we funded a one-day eye clinic at a private practice. The ophthalmologist saw 30 people over the day, provided detailed prescriptions and advised on eye care. We are now working through the prescriptions with our fundraising efforts, purchasing appropriate glasses for those who attended.
We are very grateful to all those who have supported us this year with in-kind donations and fundraising. Over 11,000 people rely on the epilepsy medication that we purchase and ship to Sierra Leone. Apart from the donated medication from the Row Foundation, we do not have a grant for these costs and the funds are generated from individual donations, cake sales and through other creative methods. We would be very grateful for donations to support this essential
4. OTHER INITIATIVES
Wherever possible we aim to use our contacts and networks to support health care initiatives in Sierra Leone. This year we responded to a call for a paediatric bronchoscope after seeing an urgent request for help on twitter by a Sierra Leonean doctor:
expenditure. Like many organisations in the voluntary sector we have seen a decline in donations as a result of COVID.
3.4 Pilot Dermatology Clinic
We would love to hear from anyone who would like to run a marathon, hold a cake sale or organise a fundraising event for Medical Assistance Sierra Leone. We can help with publicity, materials and other support required.
We started a fundraising page and also reached out to Karl Storz, German manufacturer of bronchoscopes. They kindly agreed to donate a paediatric bronchoscope and we have since used the funds raised at that point (£4,000) to buy vital spares.
Image: Jeremiah Charles undergoes an eye examination
Dr Atika, a dermatologist working at a private hospital in Freetown, is working with SLAPWA to run skin screening clinics. So far over 50% of attendees require urgent surgery for suspected skin cancer. We are now seeking support for these surgeries and arranging our own fundraising to try to cover the costs which range from £500 to £1,000 per person depending on the number of operations needed, the medication and the care required for recovery. As always, patients in Sierra Leone are required to cover all hospital costs including food.
Our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported our work this year.
Through the Epilepsy Support Worker in Kabala we were alerted to the birth of quadruplets and also triplets within a very short period. We offered initial assistance to the quadruplets who quickly gained media attention and offers of support from multiple individuals and organisations. The mother of the triplets found herself alone with the babies and we have been offering more long term practical
Medical Assistance Sierra Leone, 31 Grove Hill, Emmer Green, Reading RG4 8PN
mail@masierraleone.org.uk www.masierraleone.org.uk
A C T I O N O N S P E C I A L I S T C A R E
Registered Charity Number: 1105330
MSL Medical Assistance lei I ci Looiic ACTION ON SPECIALIST CARE 1st Otl 201( 30th Sep 1021 Unrestrlcled Re5trlcted Total 10styet7r Rectlpts & Payments ftecèlpts Donatlons Grants: Pro Victirnis Foundation FCOO ROW Foundation Rotary Club of Readlng Matlns Small Charities Coalition HMRC IRS other receipts total recelpts 14.119 14,119 6,108 11,749 10,391 2,854 11,749 10,391 2,854 340 940 8,600 21 49.013 66,000 37,918 1,460 340 940 4,734 253 116,473 21 25,954 23.059 P•yments Epilepsy Support comprisin8'. Staff salaries in Slerra Leone UK salary costs (financial & prolect m8rntl Health worker tralnSng costs Other epllepsy s¢Jpport costs 94,324 1,141 11,878 9,111 21,839 1.141 11.878 9,111 30,310 36,245 13,433 7,482 37,164 8,472 FundralsSn8 & UK Admln Maternal Child Health Support Albinism Association prolect 1,164 791 3,886 1,164 791 3,886 876 106 1868 other costs Total payments 265 98,438 14,313 43,969 58,283 Net receiptsl Ipaymentsl 8,745 118.0151 19,2701 II035 transfers between funds cash funds at last year end Cash funds at thls yeor end 11,9741 2,518 9,289 1,974 16.041 18,559 9,289 524 18.SS9 ststemÈnt of •ssets & Ilabllttles at the year end Cash funds Current account 9.289 18.559 Si8nature of Trustee Sarah Snow 26-Jul-22
'Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Medical Assistance Sierra Leone I report on the accounts for the year ended 301n Seplember 2021 Charity number 1105330 Re¥pectlve rgsponslbSlltles of trustaes and èxamlner The charity's trustees are responsible for Ihe preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not requlred for thls yaar under section 144121 of the Charities A¢1 2011 Ilhe 2011 Acll and that an independent examination is needed. 11 is my responsibility to.. examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act •lo follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act .10 slate whether particular matters have come to my attention Basls of Independent examlner's report My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charlty and a comparison of the attounls presenled with those records. 11 also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as Iruslees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the eviéence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as lo whether the aGeounls present a 'lrue and fair view, and the report is limlled to those mallers 881 out In the nexl slalement. Indèpendont examlner's tat•rnont In connection wilh my examination. no Matter has come lo my atlenlion.. 111 which gives me reasonable cause lo believe that in any material respect the requirements.. •lo keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act and .10 prepare accounts which aord with the accounting records and comply with th& accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have nol been mel or {21 lo which, In my opinion, attention should be drawn In order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached Name.. Richard Arnold ACA IICAEW membership no. 73748351 Address.. Unit 6. Bulldog House, London Rd, Twyford, Berkshire. RG10 9EU Date.. 26th July 2022