http://www.redcross.org.uk
Healthcare in Sierra Leone
Ten long years of brutal civil war have had a devastating effect on the people of Sierra Leone – killing tens of thousands and maiming many physically as well as mentally. More than two million people were forced from their homes and into a life of abject poverty.
Sierra Leone consistently falls at the bottom of the United Nations ranking of living conditions; it is currently rated 180 out of 182 countries (UN Human Development Index 2009). It also has one of the highest rates of maternal and child mortality in the world.
Health risks
Many communities have poor access to water and general sanitation is often appalling. The majority live in rural areas and rely on water from rivers, pools, shallow wells, springs and swamps, which is often dirty. They are vulnerable to outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, hepatitis A, cholera and typhoid fever. Lassa fever spread by rats, yellow fever, malaria, meningitis, TB and sexually transmitted infections are also all serious concerns.
HIV and AIDS are on the increase and there are worries the situation will get even worse in a country where almost 43 per cent of the population are under the age of 15 .
Red Cross support
The British Red Cross is supporting the Sierra Leone Red Cross in improving vulnerable people’s health and equipping them with the skills they need to prevent and respond to illness and injury in their own communities through a health programme, which covers:
©InfoThe ten-year civil war was devastating for the people of Sierra Leone – tens of thousands were killed and many maimed both physically as well as mentally. Children and young people suffered immensely – of the 45,000 soldiers fighting, 17,000 were children. Most were aged between 15-18 but some were as young as 6 years old.
The British Red Cross is supporting the Sierra Leone Red Cross in running a child advocacy and rehabilitation (CAR) programme.
We are helping children and youth affected by the war, deal with their trauma and cope with every day life by providing them with basic education, vocational training, counselling support, and ensuring they are accepted and reintegrated within their community.
In addition to the CAR programme, the British Red Cross also supports a community animation and peace support (CAPS) programme.
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