By George M.O. Williams
Freetown, May 26, 2025 — International neurosurgical team Mission Brain has launched a partnership with the Neurosurgical Department of the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital Complex (USLTHC) to improve neurosurgical care in the country.
The initiative, unveiled at an opening ceremony at the USLTHC Administration Secretariat on Percival Street, focuses on knowledge-sharing and medical equipment support aimed at strengthening Sierra Leone’s neurological treatment services.
April Sabangan, Executive Director of Mission Brain, emphasized the importance of the collaboration in addressing neurosurgical challenges in Sierra Leone.
“Sierra Leone is one of 33 countries we aim to support. The training and equipment we provide will help reduce deaths related to brain conditions,” she stated.
Sabangan also revealed that Mission Brain has supported the training of two Sierra Leonean doctors in neurosurgery, describing it as the start of a long-term partnership to enhance the national health system. She called on stakeholders to ensure the program’s sustainability for lasting national benefit.
Deputy Minister of Health (1), Professor Charles Senessie, welcomed the initiative, noting that it complements the government’s efforts to strengthen primary healthcare services, particularly for underprivileged and remote communities. He expressed confidence that the new neurosurgical facility would significantly improve the country’s healthcare landscape.
Sierra Leone’s only neurosurgeon, Dr. Allieu Kamara, shared insights into the challenges he has faced due to a lack of specialized equipment.
“We have had to rely on medical preservation support for patients with head injuries,” Dr. Kamara stated.
Originally trained as an orthopaedic doctor, he explained that he has often had to manage neurological cases to save lives. Kamara credited Mission Brain for supporting his neurosurgical training in Morocco and noted that another trained colleague would soon return to join him.
Dr. Sonia Spencer, Board Chairperson of USLTHC, expressed pride in the hospital’s progress.
“We have expanded residency training, increased our number of specialist consultants, improved research capacity, launched the Sierra Leone Journal of Medicine, and now we are introducing neurosurgery,” she noted.
The collaboration between Mission Brain and USLTHC marks a major milestone in Sierra Leone’s journey toward advancing specialized medical care and building local neurosurgical expertise.