Father Dan Sullivan Clinic Initiates Hypertension Program
Monsignor Daniel Sullivan Clinic's Community Health Officer (CHO), Manjia Taylor, has begun a program to begin tracking and treating the growing cases of high blood pressure in Sierra Leone.
Primarily just a concern in Western countries, hypertension is now on the radar screen in developing countries. Hypertension causes heart attacks, stroke, and kidney failure.
That is why we are so pleased with Manjia's initiative at the Father Dan Clinic. Manjia explained, "I have started to screen all patients that visit the facility at the age of 20 years and above. I give treatment to those who have high blood pressure and advise them on behavior and life style changes to bring down their blood pressure."
CHOs, such as Manjia, receive 3 years of medical education and are the front line for primary care in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone has a shortage of doctors and CHOs are a critical component to health service delivery in rural areas.
Under Manjia's leadership the Father Dan Clinic is very well respected in the community of Newton and continues to provide excellent care for pregnant women. Last month there were 14 successful deliveries and with the addition of the 'keke' for transport, two cases of obstructed labor were able to be taken to a larger health facility for life-saving care.
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