Post a comment
In a joined forces collaboration between Marcy Ships and the University of Sierra Leone(USL), Mercy Ships will help 7 medical graduate Students from COMAHS to study Doctorate in Dental Surgery at Gamal Abdel Nasser University in Conakry, Guinea.
The collaboration was formalized through the signing of a “Memorandum of Agreement” between Brig. Gen. Prof. Foday Sahr, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of USL, and the Country Director of Mercy Ships on Monday, 24th July 2023.
In enhancing dental education in Sierra Leone, The primary focus of this partnership is to train and equip healthcare professionals in the field of dental education. As part of the agreement, Sierra Leonean medical students enrolled at USL’s College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) will have the opportunity to pursue doctoral degrees in Dental Surgery in Conakry, Guinea.
It was stated that the first group of seven medical students will begin their training in October of this year and it will be a comprehensive six-year program that will kick off with intensive French language training during the initial year, followed by four years of specialized dental education, and culminating with a final year of intensive clinical work at the Gamal Dental School.
It was highlighted in the agreement that Mercy Ships will be providing support to the students. They commit to offering financial and administrative assistance to ensure the successful completion of the program, including covering travel costs.
The University of Sierra Leone, on its part, agreed that it will take on the responsibility of preparing and supporting potential candidates for enrollment at the Gamal Abdel Nasser University. This support includes assisting students in acquiring the necessary documentation and fulfilling prerequisites for enrollment.
This partnership comes as part of the Vice-Chancellor’s ambitious “re-engineering” initiative at USL, which includes the establishment of a dentistry component within the Faculty of Clinical Sciences. As a result of this development, the faculty has been renamed to incorporate the Faculty of Clinical Sciences and Dentistry, further enhancing the academic offerings and medical expertise at USL.
At the end of the agreement, USL and Mercy Ships promised to hold a great future of dental healthcare in Sierra Leone, as they seek to equip healthcare professionals with advanced skills and knowledge, ultimately benefiting the nation’s oral health and overall well-being.
