Hello world!!!
Hope you and yours are doing well. This summer season has been very good to me, and all I can do is thank the Almighty. As promised, I'll be writing detailed blogs about my adventures during my recent Homecoming Trip to Salone as Miss Sierra Leone USA; read my
preview blog post. On Friday (May 3rd) midday, I visited Ola During Children's Hospital. Catch up on where I spent the morning in my
previous blog post.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 Ruby B. Johnson and Miss Kadija at Ola During Children's Hospital |
Ola During Children's Hospital is the only children's hospital in Sierra Leone. In the photo above, I was getting to know little Miss Khadija and her mama. Khadija was shy but such a sweet little girl!
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 Ruby B. Johnson and Nurse Musu |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and Matron Aminata Lahai |
The beautiful lady I am pictured with in the photo above is Matron Aminata Lahai (Matron at Ola During Children's Hospital), and she was very kind to take me on a tour around the hospital that afternoon.
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Left-Right:
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson,
Dr. David E. Baion (Specialist Pediatrician), and
Matron Aminata Lahai |
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| Dr. Sesay and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 Ruby B. Johnson |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and nurses of Ola During Children's Hospital |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and member of Ola During Children's Hospital Kitchen Staff |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and members of Ola During Children's Hospital Kitchen Staff |
In the two photos above, I'm pictured with some members of the kitchen staff. Besides giving thanks to the nurses, doctors, and matrons that serve the patients, I made it a duty to thank the kitchen staff as well. Their contribution of cooking nutritious food for the patients is very important, and their service is very relevant in the welfare of the children.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and Ola During Children's Hospital nurse |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 watches as Dr. Ishatu Mustapha does check-up on one of the children at Ola During Children's Hospital |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and nurses at Ola During Children's Hospital |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 Ruby B. Johnson and newborn at Ola During Children's Hospital |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 Ruby B. Johnson and newborn at Ola During Children's Hospital |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and nurses at Ola During Children's Hospital |
Ola During Children's Hospital is the national pediatric referral center for the whole of Salone. This hospital also serves as the pediatric training facility for the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) students. In the photo below, I was getting to know little Mr. Mohamed and his mama, Yeama. He was a sweet and friendly little boy!
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and baby Mohamed and his mother, Yeama |
Later that afternoon, I visited the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital, also known as Cottage Hospital. PCMH is the largest public maternity hospital in Sierra Leone. I was given a tour of the entire hospital by the Matron of the hospital, Matron Margaret Mannah, and Matron Ruby Williams. These women served as fantastic hosts, and welcomed me as their own daughter.
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Left-Right:
Matron Ruby Williams,
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson,
and Matron Margaret Mannah of PCMH |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and Matrons of Princess Christian Maternity Hospital |
This week was National Midwifery Week in Sierra Leone, and I got to know some valuable information about Sierra Leone's midwifery programs. The ladies wearing white in the photo above are also midwives, and were wearing those shirts in commemoration of the Week.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 with Matrons and nurses of Princess Christian Maternity Hospital |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and newborn twins at Cottage Hospital (PCMH) |
In this photo above, I was in the General Labor Ward welcoming two cuties that were born few hours ago, welcoming them to our native land Sierra Leone and the world! If you've followed my blog from the beginning of my time of as service as Miss Sierra Leone USA, you should know by now that I absolutely love and adore people's kids, so this day was one of my favorite times during my 2013 Miss Sierra Leone USA Homecoming Tour!!!
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and nurses at Cottage Hospital (PCMH) |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 with Matrons and Nurses at Cottage Hospital (PCMH) |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA and PCMH's Pharmacists and Secretary |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and student Nurses at PCMH |
"Dis na wi Miss Salone, nahin de reprizent wi na Amerika!" This was the introduction that I was frequently given and whenever I heard it and received the warm welcome, I felt very honored & proud to be your Miss Sierra Leone USA!
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Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson,
Matron Margaret Mannah (woman in Afrikana), and
student Nurses at Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (Cottage) |
In the photo above, I am pictured with some nursing students from various institutions that are doing their practicals at PCMH. The Sierra Leone nursing program is no joke and very intense, my mom and other nurses trained in Salone can testify to this.
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and PCMH Antenatal Clinic Staff |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and PCMH Antenatal Clinic Staff |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 tours Princess Christian Maternity Hospital |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and Matron Margaret Mannah of Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (Cottage) |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and Matrons during PCMH tour |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 with Matrons and Nurses of Princess Christian Maternity Hospital |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and Nurses at Cottage Hospital (PCMH) |
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| Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 and Dr. A.D. Koroma of Princess Christian Maternity Hospital |
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Dr. A.D. Koroma of Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (Cottage)
and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
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Dr. A.D. Koroma of Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (Cottage)
and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson |
Overall, I had a great time visiting these two hospitals, getting to interact with the patients and express my gratitude to the hospitals's doctors, nurses, matrons, and staff. Visits to these hospitals were very important and rewarding because: health is one of the five pillars in my personal platform (
advocating for SHERO) as Miss Sierra Leone USA, and the national platform of the Miss Sierra Leone USA Pageant and MSLDC Inc. is improving maternal and infant health in Sierra Leone. I appreciated every moment of these tours, and I'm humbled to have been welcome with open arms.
Stay tuned, there's one more appearance I have to write about in the upcoming blog about on this day!
Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA
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