| August
2003 -- The People of Sierra Leone Information courtesy of Cia World Factbook 2002, http://www3.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/refugees.htm |
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 Sierra
Leone is located in Western Africa between Guinea and Liberia. English philanthropists
purchased the land and established the country as a new homeland for freed
Jamaican slaves. Sierra Leone's total population is 5.6 million. English
is the official language, yet with a literacy rate of 31.4% its use is limited
to the literate minority. The language Krio, a form of Creole, is understood
by 95% of the population. The number one practiced religion is Muslim, followed
by Christianity and indigenous beliefs.  Since
1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front
(RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of
more than 2 million people (well over one-third of the population) many
of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. After several setbacks,
the end to the eleven-year conflict in Sierra Leone may finally be near
at hand. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions
from the World Bank and international community, demobilization and disarmament
of the combatants has been completed. Reestablishment of government authority
throughout the country is slowly proceeding and national elections took
place in May 2002. Ongoing conflict in Sierra Leone has engendered refugee
movements into neighboring Guinea and Liberia. Because to recent conflict
in neighboring Liberia, new refugees and many displaced by previous civil
unrest within Sierra Leone have returned from countries in which they sought
refuge. The
rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence is 2.99% with a total of 68,000 persons living
with the disease. Medical facilities fall critically short of U.S. standards.
Medicines are in short supply, sterility of equipment is questionable, and
treatment is unreliable. Many primary health care workers, especially in
rural areas, lack professional training. Instances of misdiagnosis, improper
treatment and administration of improper drugs have been reported. Female
"circumcision" or "female genital mutilation" (FGM) is quite common in Sierra
Leone; resettled refugees are warned of the illegality of this practice
in the United States.In Sierra Leone, malaria is a leading public health problem, accounting for 48 percent of the country's total outpatient numbers. Among the high-risk group are refugees living in temporary camps, especially pregnant women and children. Pregnant women are vulnerable because malaria can cause miscarriages, low birth-weight babies and maternal anemia. Malaria is also one of the major causes of death among children. Other problems that practitioners should be especially alert to are cervical cancer, ectoparasites, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Problems seen most commonly in newly arriving refugees from Sierra Leone are listed below:
Recommended laboratory and other tests to conduct as part of newcomer health assessments for persons from Sierra Leone include: •Nutritional assessment •Stool for ova and parasites •Hepatitis B surface antigen •Hemoglobin or hematocrit •VDRL •HIV •Mantoux tuberculin skin test Top |
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Update:
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
• VA Department of Health • Office of Epidemiology • Division
of TB Control Newcomer Health Program • Madison Building, 1st Floor, 109 Governor Street, Richmond, VA 23218-2248 Telephone: 804-864-7910 • Fax: 804-864-7913 |