Momoh K. Pessima

15/03/2026

On Friday, I had the privilege of attending the launch of the CRADLE-SMART Programme at Sierra Palms Resort, an important initiative aimed at strengthening antenatal and intrapartum care for pregnant women and babies in Sierra Leone.

The programme focuses on improving early engagement in antenatal care, strengthening risk identification, and supporting timely clinical decision-making to reduce complications such as hypertension in pregnancy, fetal growth restriction, anaemia, and haemorrhage.

The programme will involve pregnant women across key health facilities including Princess Christian Maternity Hospital, Rokupa Government Hospital, Aberdeen Women’s Centre, and several Peripheral Health Units in the Western Area.

The launch brought together key stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, Welbodi Partnership, King’s College London, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and colleagues from Zambia, highlighting the importance of collaboration in advancing maternal and newborn health.

Through innovative approaches such as point-of-care diagnostics, AI-enhanced ultrasound, and digital clinical support tools, the programme aims to improve maternal and newborn outcomes while generating evidence for equitable maternity care.

As someone working in health research, it was inspiring to witness partners, researchers, and health leaders come together to support safer pregnancies and healthier communities.

01/03/2026

Maternal health remains one of the most urgent public health priorities in Sierra Leone. Every pregnancy should be a journey of hope, not a risk to life. That is why ongoing research on sickle cell anaemia and preeclampsia in pregnancy is so critical to protecting mothers and babies across the country.

Maternal health remains one of the most urgent public health priorities in Sierra Leone. Every pregnancy should be a journey of hope, not a risk to life. That is why ongoing research on Sickle Cell Anaemia, and Preeclampsia in pregnancy is so critical to protecting mothers and babies across the country.

Strengthen routine antenatal screening

Improve access to birth-dose vaccination for newborns

🩸 Sickle Cell Anaemia and Maternal Health
Sickle cell disease continues to contribute to maternal and neonatal complications. Women with sickle cell face higher risks of anaemia, infections, preterm birth, and maternal mortality. Ongoing studies are working to:

Promote genotype screening before and during pregnancy

Improve comprehensive antenatal care for high-risk mothers

Increase public awareness about genetic counselling

Early detection saves lives — both mothers and babies.

💔 Preeclampsia in Pregnancy
Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal deaths. Research and implementation studies are focusing on:

Early blood pressure monitoring at community level

Timely diagnosis and referral.

21/02/2026

NGO week health walk

04/02/2026

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Research SpecialistWork Location:KonoDepartment:Strategic Health Information SystemsReport to: Senior Research SpecialistRequisition No;4684Line Management YesPosition OverviewUnder the direct supervision of the Senior Research Specialist, the Research Specialist will contribute to all stages of the research lifecycle at Partners in Health, Sierra Leone. The goal of this role is to generate evidence that informs clinical practice, guides health policy development, and supports impact measurement. The Specialist will provide both technical and administrative support across a range of research activities, including protocol development, preparation of Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions, conducting literature reviews, supporting study design, developing data collection tools, managing data, performing data analysis, and assisting in the development of abstracts, posters, presentations, and publications.

Working alongside the Senior Research Specialist, the Research Specialist will also help strengthen research capacity among PIH staff, Ministry of Health counterparts, and affiliated research students. In addition, the Specialist will support the regular review and implementation of research governance protocols.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Support research-related activities within the overall research lifecycle from the conceptualization of research idea until dissemination.

Provide technical support in both quantitative and qualitative research tool design, programming, and data collection

Support the development of the data collection instruments and data management.

Coordinate the overall data collection processes for both quantitative and qualitative data.

Support analysis of data using statistical software such as STATA, R, Power BI.

Use research results to write reports, manuscripts and reviews and present findings in appropriate forums including conferences.

Participate in local and international dis

04/02/2026

Now Hiring: Registered Nurse

The U.S. Embassy in Freetown is seeking qualified applicants for a Registered Nurse position. Full-time, based in Freetown. Apply by February 10, 2026.

Details and application: https://sl.usembassy.gov/jobs/

27/10/2025

29/03/2025

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Issa Jabbie, Alhassan F Thoronka

01/12/2024

This is Sierra Leone, Bonthe, Bendu-Cha chiefdom, where fishing and cassava farming are the major sources of food for communities. Na ya u for lek water lek fish. U go fen wood o, na boat u dae use. It was an amazing experience.

01/12/2024

13/11/2024

Bonthe