Orfonthy Community Health Center Serving Rokassa and Surrounding Areas

Published Wed, Mar 27, 2024
Written by Dana Kaltenberger

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Jericho Road Ministries, a medical NGO, and EduNations began partnering in 2015 to address the growing healthcare needs of EduNations students, teachers, and the Rokassa community at large by establishing the Orfonthy Community Health Center.

Since then, EduNations Hope Academy Rokassa has grown from two schools, nursery and primary, to 4 schools, including junior and senior secondary schools. Today, the clinic serves almost 900 students and 64 teachers and staff every year in addition to the community at large. Over 41,000 people from nearby villages have been treated since the clinic was opened.

The clinic, with a total of 8 staff, provides a broad range of both inpatient and outpatient general health care services, medical testing, medications, and surgeries. The clinic is also a regional center for government supported, free health care services for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children from birth to 4 ½ years old. The recent acquisition of an ambulance to transport patients to the clinic or medical technicians to patients, has been an important addition, literally saving lives by getting people help more quickly, especially mothers in labor.

 

Two patients’ stories give a glimpse of how the clinic changes lives:

Kadiatu Sillah, a SSS 2 Art student said: “I want to thank EduNations and Jericho Road for the clinic. When I started my high school education in Rokassa, I frequently was attacked by serious stomach aches; sometimes causing me to collapse at school. But after free surgery with good medication, I am very strong with zero stomachaches.”

Pa Mohamed Koroma, a Rokassa community elder said: “I want to say many thanks to EduNations and all the partners of Orfonthy clinic for the good you have done for Rokassa. Before the clinic, we had to walk for miles when any of our family members became sick to get help. Before the clinic, sometimes our people died on the way to the hospital at Konta Line, but thankfully now we received good and quality medical facilities at our doorstep.”