24th February 2023
Al Zahara, Kuwait
By Mohamed C Marrah
As part of its mandate to improve the well-being of Sierra Leoneans residing in the State of Kuwait, the Sierra Leone Embassy, Kuwait, in collaboration with Sandigan Kuwait, has conducted a one-day Free Medical exercise at the Mission’s Chancery in Al Zahara.
The event, which benefited over 200 Sierra Leoneans with free checkups and medicines, is the first to be conducted by an African Embassy in the State of Kuwait. The Exercise brought together 10 doctors with different specialties and 8 nurses with a host of volunteers from Sandigan Kuwait and members of the Sierra Leone Union in Kuwait (SLUK).
The medical team conducted various medical examinations, including tests for uric acid, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and breast check-ups. Those with emergency cases were immediately referred to the government hospital for further examination.
While extending heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the team of doctors and the heads of Sandigan, Her Excellency Haja Ishata Thomas, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, disclosed that it was part of the Mission’s mandate to seek opportunities for its citizens living in the State of Kuwait to ensure effective service delivery, noting that the medical examination was conducted in line with the health regulations of the host country.
The Head of Chancery, Momodu A. Wurie, reiterated Her Excellency the Ambassador’s earlier statements and further conveyed appreciation on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone to the doctors and nurses for their time and patience while extending gratitude to Sandigan Kuwait for their effort in putting together a team of doctors, nurses, medicine and logistics with a rich medical background to support the smooth implementation of the exercise.
“I must say we are impressed with the conduct of the exercise, and we can only hope for such an exercise to be conducted frequently,” he concluded.
Mary Ann Abunda, Founding Chairperson of Sandigan Kuwait, expressed her delight in the orderly and smooth implementation of the medical exercise and hoped for the continuation of such activity in the near future
“As a migrant-centred organization operating in the State of Kuwait, Sadigan has provided a wide range of support to migrants workers of all nationalities and, with the help of the Sierra Leone Embassy, we have also assisted in the repatriation of Sierra Leoneans caring Guinea Bissau passport to their country. We are pleased to commence this new Medical phase with the Mission, and we hope to replicate the same to other African Embassies in Kuwait,” Sandigan’s Founding Chairperson stated.
Sandigan Kuwait, a non-government, non-sectarian, non-profit, and non-religious organization, was founded in 2010. It consists of advocates that support and promote the human rights and general welfare of migrant workers in the State of Kuwait. Over the years, Sandigan Kuwait has provided support to the Sierra Leonean Community in the State of Kuwait in the form of food and non-food items. It has also provided training to SLUK on migrants-related issues, sponsor-employee redress mechanisms, and the Kuwait Labour law.
