Volunteering at Magbenteh Community Hospital: Dr Sally

Dr Sally Wright from the UK spent two months volunteering at Magbenteh Community Hospital having completed her Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene prior to working with Raleigh International as an Advanced Expedition Medic in Nepal.

Dr Sally shared her time with us; “I arrived in Makeni as a medic for the Sierra Leone Marathon in May 2017. During the build up to the event I was able to meet with the team who work at Magbenteh. As luck would have it, the hospital needed an extra Doctor. In medicine being able to say yes immediately happens rarely, so it was fantastic to be able to jump at this opportunity.

The past two months have disappeared in a blur of ward rounds, outpatient clinics, clinical audit and education. From a professional curiosity perspective, this role has exposed me to a vast range of medical problems and the challenges that are faced by those both accessing healthcare and those delivering it. In parts rewarding, challenging, surprising and frustrating; never boring. I have loved working at Magbenteh Community Hospital, Makeni. The staff rise to each challenge that they face and the community show that there is always scope for human compassion, even times of desperation. 

It is only since leaving the hospital, that the enormity of my experiences in Sierra Leone have become clear. It has been my pleasure to work with the staff at Magbenteh Community Hospital and to have become a member of their community; my only regret is that I cannot stay longer.”