VIM Medical Assistance Team Calls On President Kabbah
By Marian Samu

The Volunteers In Mission (V.I.M.), a team of medical practitioners from the United States of America, who are in Sierra Leone on a two-week voluntary service work, on Wednesday 5th January 2005, paid a courtesy call on President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah at his Hill station office in Freetown.

Introducing the team to his Excellency, the President, the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Umaru Wurie, said this is the third time the team is in Sierra Leone and they will be working in Bo and Taiama in the Southern region and Freetown in the Western Area.

Briefing President Kabbah on their mission to Sierra Leone, Mr. Samuel Hinga Pieh, a Sierra Leonean residing in the United States and who is Co-leader of the delegation, said the twenty-man team, including a University Student Volunteer, Juan Muldoon came from seven States in the United States of America.

Mr. Samuel Pieh stated that they were here because they believe in a relationship with responsible outcome. He expressed hopes that the relationship will develop into a partnership that is respected by both parties with a focus on doing something that is of mutual benefit to the two parties.

The Co-leader of the team, Dr. Joseph Geary, expressed appreciation that President Kabbah could accord them the gift of his time, patience and openness. He explained that they are all volunteers who have raised their own monies personally to embark on the mission. Dr. Geary revealed that they were able to give medical assistance to about one thousand five hundred people during their last visit, and this year they are working on providing safe drinking water to the people in their work area, and they will be working at a clinic, a secondary school and one primary school, including repairs and construction work at the clinic. The team will also be undertaking medical assistance including surgery at the Kissy Eye Clinic and the Serabu hospital.

The visiting V.I.M. members extended an invitation to President Kabbah to attend a celebration in Memphis in April 2006, that will be focusing Sierra Leone in which a re-created Amistad ship will be docking at a quay in Memphis.

President Kabbah thanked the Mission for all their efforts in helping solve the country's manpower problems, including skills training and caring for the sick.

He observed that this is an education for all of us as he had always told his people to try to do something not because of material benefits but because we are trying to help the country through our collective effort.

President Kabbah praised Mr. Samuel Hinga Pieh for being an Ambassador of Sierra Leone and expressed hopes that other Sierra Leoneans will do likewise.

Although President Kabbah expressed deep appreciation for the assistance rendered to his people, he appealed to the team to consider the area of having a central diagnostic center. The President explained that he had found out that the hospitals in Freetown do not have enough equipment to diagnose peoples problems. Even though we have doctors who are capable of handling the cases, President Kabbah stated, there is a problem with proper diagnosis. Once this is solved, the doctors can manage with the drugs we have. He therefore appealed to the team to assist in the setting up of a diagnostic center with trained personnel. He assured the team of government's willingness to collaborate with them on the issue.

Mr. Samuel Pieh informed President Kabbah that they had earlier had plans to supply medical equipment to Connaught hospital, but had problems in the process. President Kabbah assured them of government 's collaboration in making the project go through. Mr. Pieh also promised to do what they can on the new proposal for a medical diagnostic centre. He informed President Kabbah that .the University of Tennessee has one of the world's best medical engineering departments and they will be prepared to undertake in this kind of project.

The President was presented with gifts from the Mayor of Memphis, Mayor W.W. Herrington.

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