Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 Visits Wellbody Alliance Clinic

Hello world!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing great, thanks to the Almighty for blessings and lessons. This past Monday, I visited the Wellbody Clinic in Gbense Chiefdom, Dorma Town. Guided by the Clinic's Managing Director, Shirley Gao, I took a tour of the clinic, heard its Founding story and learnt about the services provided, and interacted with the staff.  Wellbody Alliance organization and its clinic was founded by Dr. Mohammed Bailor Barrie and Dr. Dan Kelly; Dr. Kelly was a judge at the 2012‪ Miss Sierra Leone USA‬ Leadership and Scholarship Pageant. During the pageant weekend, Dr. Kelly was very interested in learning about the personal platforms of titleholders. On the night of the 2012 Miss Sierra Leone USA Talent Presentation, I spoke extensively about my platform of Advocating for SHERO to Dr. Kelly, in return he spoke passionately of the work and service Wellbody Alliance and its Clinic provides to the people of Kono District.

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Wellbody Alliance Clinic in Gbense Chiefdom, Dorma Town

Found in 2006, Wellbody Alliance has grown into one of the major healthcare providers in Sierra Leone. This non-profit organization serves over 30,000 patients a year from the Wellbody Clinic and their partner public clinics. This clinic offers free healthcare service to children 5 years old & under, pregnant women, and lactating mothers; a law that was established by First Lady Mrs. Sia Nyama Koroma. In addition, Wellbody Clinic offers free healthcare services to: amputees and their dependants, individuals living with HIV/AIDS, individuals with Tuberculosis (TB), and destitute members of the community. The clinic provides free HIV testing, TB testing, pregnancy tests, and more; tests are done by the laboratory technicians.

Left-Right:
Mr. Foday Sheriff Kamara (TB Supervisor),
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson,
and Mr. Samuel Ndomaina (lab technician)

Left-Right:
Mr. Samuel Ndomaina (lab technician),
Mr. Abdulai Jalloh (Administration Officer),
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson,
and Mr. Foday Sheriff Kamara (TB Supervisor)

Construction of upcoming Wellbody Clinic's Women Center

Wellbody Alliance is currently building a Women's Center besides the Clinic, that'll be adjacent to the Administration Office. The purpose is to create a bigger space for women patients, pregnant women, lactating mothers and their children. Funds are still being raised for the completion of this structure.

Construction of upcoming Wellbody Clinic's Women's Center

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and Ms. Aminata Bah (Pharmacist)

Fact: Wellbody, spelled wεlbכdi in the Krio language, means "good health" in english.

HIV/AIDS Awareness sign at the Wellbody Clinic

Observation Room at Wellbody Clinic

The Wellbody Clinic provides an Observation Room with 4 beds for patients, whereby patients are put under care for a few hours; the Clinic does not provide overnight services for patients, or perform any form of surgeries. The Clinic provides referrals to its patients to the Koidu Government Hospital.

Wellbody Clinic Reception area

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and Ms. Shirley Gao (Managing Director of Wellbody Clinic)

Fact: According to the Wellbody Alliance website: "Our mission is not simply to provide medical services to the poor, but to build an effective healthcare system in the region that will save lives in a sustainable, equitable and just manner. We have a vision that drives all of our programs: the poor and all in Sierra Leone deserve the best healthcare possible, and Wellbody Alliance is dedicated to delivering it ... We have a mission that aligns our work: to provide healthcare as a human right to the poor in Sierra Leone. We do this through our community health work and high quality clinical care in Kono District."

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2012-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Left-Right:
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson,
Mr. Nicholas Kargbo (Finance Officer), and
Ms. Shirley Gao (Managing Director)

Special thanks to Ms. Gao and the Wellbody Clinic staff for being such great hosts. I am thankful for their service to the people of Kono District, their hard work is highly appreciated! To the Founders, Directors, sponsors, and volunteers of Wellbody Alliance and the Clinic, thank you for living by the mission and providing such a necessary initiative for the people of Sierra Leone. God bless you all!

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson with some staff members of Wellbody Clinic

Fambul den, this is Salone!!!

Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA.

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