Sierra Leone Health Library Partnership (Phi)

Posted on 05. Nov, 2009 by Erin in Health Links

About the Link

cardiff

A Link between the Universities in Sierra Leone and Cardiff has been in place since 1999; supported, since the outset, by Partnerships in Health Information (Phi – www.partnershipsinhealthinformation.org.uk). During this period the Link has received two grants from the Department for International Development during this period; the most recent grant for a three year project entitled: Community Health Information for Poverty Alleviation in Sierra Leone:  A DelPHE-funded partnership between the University of Sierra Leone and Cardiff University from 2006-2009.  Funds to support this project have also been granted by Wales for Africa (Welsh Assembly Government).  

Fields of work

HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB, Maternal and Child Health, Primary Health Care, Reproductive Health, Tropical Diseases

Current activities

Project: Community Health Information for Poverty Alleviation in Sierra Leone – A three year programme to develop locally appropriate health information materials to support health care staff in the fight against extreme poverty and hunger, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.  Training programmes are included for health professionals in the retrieval and dissemination of ‘evidence-based’ heath information.

EASL:  Educational Awards in Sierra Leone – Staff in Information Services at Cardiff University have raised £1900 in additional funds for the link and have supported educational grants for school children since 2000.  Under the latter scheme (EASL, Educational Awards in Sierra Leone), each year some 30-40 children are given small grants (£35-40 each) to help families cover the cost of school fees, uniform, books and writing materials.

£1,700 was contributed from the Cardiff University Vice Chancellor’s Special Fund for the purchase and installation of a generator for the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (University of Sierra Leone). 

Links between this partnership and other Wales for Africa/Sierra Leone partnerships are in place.

Link requests

Links with other groups working within Sierra Leone, particularly with an interest in community health; Information on any shipments to Sierra Leone that we could share – for the transport of books and  other materials to partners in Freetown;  Any expressions of interest in finding out more about the project.

Contact information

UK
Dr Alison Weightman
Head of Library Service Development &
Director, Support Unit for Research Evidence (SURE)
Duthie Library
Cardiff University
Heath Park
CARDIFF CF14 4XN

Email:  WeightmanAL@cf.ac.uk
Tel: +44 29 2074 2878

Sierra Leone
Mrs Nance M’jamtu-Sie
c/o The Library
Faculty of Nursing
College of Medicine and Allied Health Science (COMAHS)
Lightfoot Boston Street
Freetown
Sierra Leone

Email:  Nancemjamtusie@yahoo.com
Tel: +232 766 08782