ASCP Donation to Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital Accelerates Diagnostic Testing

A recent donation of an automated tissue processor to the laboratory of a teaching hospital in Sierra Leone was a cause for celebration in the West African nation with a population of 8 million.

ASCP facilitated the donation of the high-throughput instrument, a Sakura Tissue-Tek VIP 6 Tissue Processor, which came from a laboratory in San Diego owned by Kaiser Permanente. The new tissue processor will significantly accelerate the diagnostic testing process and is unparalleled in West Africa, according to Babatunde Duduyemi, MD, Chair of Pathology at the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex (USLTHC).

 As a core piece of equipment needed for the USLTCH laboratory, the instrument will enable Sierra Leone to achieve results comparable to those in the USA, enhancing the quality of medical diagnostics in the country, according to Dr. Duduyemi. This automated instrument has the capacity to process 100 tissues simultaneously, significantly improving efficiency and quality of results at the pathology laboratory of Connaught Hospital, according to Keyinde Oluwadiya, MBBS (IB), MD, USLTHC Acting Chief Medical Director. Dr. Duduyemi was instrumental at spearheading the in-country preparation and logistics needed to receive the tissue processor donation, working closely with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health for necessary approvals.

“This is the culmination of more than two years of careful planning between ASCP’s Center for Global Health and numerous stakeholders, from Kaiser Permanente, Direct Relief, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that coordinated the intricate logistical process, to Dr. Duduyemi’s team and the Ministry of Health of Sierra Leone,” says Debby Basu, PhD, Senior Manager of ASCP’s Center for Global Health. “It is very rewarding to see this instrument finally be in place in Sierra Leone.”

Established in 2016, USLTHC provides healthcare services, offers undergraduate and postgraduate training for healthcare professionals, and promotes health-related research. Located in Freetown, Sierra Leone, ASCP has been working to support the teaching hospital laboratory and its pathology training program, as part of an ongoing memorandum of understanding. 

Dr. Sonia Spencer, Chairperson of the Board of Administration at USLTHC, says that since 2019, the institution has made great strides in increasing the number of medical residents training to become specialists and consultants from 15 to over 85. It has also increased its recruitment of foreign consultants and established new training programs.

Dr. Spencer also notes that Connaught Hospital, the main training site within USLTHC, is home to four of the seven accredited departments and provides histopathology services to 29 other hospitals across Sierra Leone. The Board at USLTHC is committed to further advancements, including the commencement of residency training in pathology, radiology, and community health, and the establishment of neurosurgery in collaboration with international partners.

Ibrahim Mark Kapuwa, MD, Hospital Care Manager at Connaught Hospital, extended heartfelt thanks to the USLTHC Board, Professor Duduyemi, the Pathology Department, and ASCP for its generous contribution. “This donation represents a significant advancement in the hospital’s diagnostic capabilities and a step forward in improving healthcare services in Sierra Leone,” he says.