By Fatmata Binta Sow
Freetown, 13th November 2026- Choithram Memorial Hospital has successfully carried out 73 free surgeries on children as part of a specialised medical camp organised in partnership with a team of visiting doctors from Germany.
The initiative, which provided free paediatric and plastic surgery services, benefited children suffering from a range of conditions, including hernias, lymphangiomas, blood vessel malformations, urethral abnormalities and other congenital disorders. About 150 patients were screened during the exercise.
Speaking during a media engagement at the hospital’s conference hall in Hill Cot on November 12, the Head of Choithram Memorial Hospital, Harish Agnani, said the programme reflects the hospital’s commitment to ensuring that vulnerable patients have access to specialised healthcare regardless of their financial circumstances.
He disclosed that all aspects of treatment, including screening, laboratory tests, medication, surgery and follow-up care, were provided free of charge.
“All these operations were done free of cost to the patients. From the day screening was done, laboratory tests, medication, operations and follow-up care are all taken care of by Choithram Memorial Hospital,” Agnani said.
He noted that some of the procedures normally cost between US$1,000 and US$2,000 or more, depending on the complexity of the case, but beneficiaries received the treatment at no cost.
According to him, the programme offered children the opportunity to undergo life-changing surgeries in a modern medical facility with support from specialist doctors who travelled from Germany.
The hospital’s Superintendent, Dr Gorinath George, explained that the medical outreach is supported by a German non-governmental organisation, which facilitates the travel and accommodation of the visiting specialists while the hospital provides the facilities and local support required for the surgeries.
“The team is actually from an association in Germany. It is an NGO which has partnered with us to provide free services to people who need them here,” Dr George said.
He said the collaboration combines international expertise with local healthcare support to ensure that children receive the treatment they need.
Dr George added that all diagnostic services related to the surgeries, including ultrasound scans and X-rays, were also provided free of charge.
Everything is absolutely free of cost to the patient. Wherever ultrasound or X-ray is required, that is also provided,” he stated.
The visiting medical team included paediatric surgeon Dr Tilman Gresing, anaesthetist Dr Kathleen Ruiz and nurse anaesthetist Dr Anca Reviz, who worked alongside local healthcare professionals throughout the camp.
Providing an overview of the surgeries, Dr Gresing said the team had completed 73 operations over two weeks, treating conditions such as blood vessel malformations, lymphangiomas, abdominal and inguinal hernias, as well as urethral fistulas in boys following circumcision.
“We have operated on 73 cases, with different diagnoses. These include malformations of blood vessels, lymphangiomas, and a lot of hernias in the abdomen, including inguinal hernias,” he said.
Dr Gresing praised the dedication of the hospital’s nurses and theatre staff, commending their role in preparing children for surgery and supporting their recovery afterwards.
“The nurses look after the children, prepare them before the operation and take very good care of them afterwards. We have to say thank you to the staff here in the children’s ward,” he added.
Beyond the surgeries, the partnership also focuses on strengthening the skills of local healthcare workers through hands-on training and professional knowledge-sharing to help sustain specialised care after the visiting team departs.
Meanwhile, Choithram Memorial Hospital has announced plans to launch another free medical outreach programme, this time focusing on cataract surgery. The camp is expected to begin in mid-January 2027 and run for approximately two months. Screening and registration have already commenced, with members of the public experiencing eye problems encouraged to visit the hospital for assessment.
