Freetown, 10th November 2025- In a country of over eight million people, where heart disease quietly claims lives and specialist care remains scarce, one man’s journey through West Africa’s toughest medical training programmes has become a symbol of hope and a call to action.
Dr. Sorie Conteh, Sierra Leone’s second practicing cardiologist, didn’t just complete his fellowship in cardiology. He did so with distinction, earning three of the West African College of Physicians’ most prestigious awards in a single sitting, an achievement so rare, some prizes had gone unawarded for years.
But this isn’t a story about trophies. It’s about the long road to becoming a heart specialist in a region where the odds are stacked against you.
Dr. Conteh’s path began with an MBCHB in 2008, followed by years of clinical work and a Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine at the University of Nairobi. By 2015, he was a physician specialist and lecturer in Freetown. But it was the mentorship of Professor James BW Russell that sparked a deeper ambition: to pursue subspecialty training in cardiology.
“I started the fellowship in 2021,” Dr. Conteh recalls. “One year in Freetown, two years at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana, and final exams in Nigeria. Each country added something vital to my training.”
Ghana, he says, was the crucible. “Korle Bu is a centre of excellence for cardiovascular care. The volume, the complexity, the mentorship, it shaped me.”
At the 49th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the WACP in Dakar, Senegal, Dr. Conteh’s performance was recognized with: The A.C. Ikeme Prize for best Fellowship candidate in Cardiology. The Theophilus Oladipo Ogunlesi Prize for best dissertation in Cardiology and the Austin Obasohan Prize for top performance in the Fellowship Examinations.
“These awards aren’t ceremonial,” he explains. “They’re benchmarks. If no one meets the standard, they’re withheld. So to receive all three, it’s not just personal validation. It’s a signal that Sierra Leone can produce excellence.”
Now back in Freetown, Dr. Conteh faces a daunting reality: he is one of only two cardiologists in the entire country.
“The work is cut out for me,” he says. “But I’m not just here to treat patients. I’m here to build systems, train others, and advocate for investment in specialist care.”
His designation as Consultant Physician and Cardiologist is more than a title, it’s a responsibility. And it comes at a time when Sierra Leone’s health system is grappling with rising rates of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Beyond the awards, Dr. Conteh’s story is a reminder that excellence isn’t born, it’s built. Across borders, through mentorship, and against the odds. It’s also a challenge to policymakers, educators, and funders: if one man can achieve this, what could a system built to support many more accomplish?
As Sierra Leone looks to strengthen its healthcare workforce, Dr. Conteh’s journey offers a blueprint, not just for cardiology, but for every specialty where the need is urgent and the talent is waiting to be nurtured.
