SDSU School of Nursing: CNSA-Committee on Cultural Awareness

APRIL, 2012 ISSUE 5

Sierra Leone
Demographics:
Continent: Africa Languages: English, Temne, Mende, Krio and 15 other indigenous languages Population: 5,858,000 Religion: Muslim, Christian

Together we will succeed!

CNSAs'Committee'on'Cultural' Awareness'(CCA)'aims'to'increase' cultural'competency'to'help' eliminate'culture'related' healthcare'disparities'between' patient'and'provider.'This'month,' CNSA'is'proud'to'announce'a' special'lecture'presented'by'Nurse' Mary'Karoma,'from'the'Sierra' Leone'Region'of'Africa.'This' lecture'is'part'of'a'national'tour' entitled'Africas'Future'in'African' Hands.'Please'take'the'time'to' read'through'the'newsletter'to' learn'more'information'about'the' culture'in'Sierra'Leone.'''
' '

Nurse Midwife Mary Koroma Prevalent'diseases' '

Lifestyle'and'Family' '

This%male*dominated%culture% emphasizes%ethnic%ties,%or%even% village*ties,%over%national%ones.% Though%extended%family%is%important,% some%children%are%fostered%out,% meaning%they%are%taken%care%of%by% someone%who%is%wealthy%or%has%no% children.%This%is%done%with%the%hope% that%this%person%will%educate%and%take% care%of%the%child%better%than%the% family%can.%Education%is%valued%as%a% tool%for%improving%one's%life.%

The%3%main%diseases%that%account%for% %of%all%childhood%deaths%are:% 1.%Malaria%(accounts%for%70%%of% anemia%among%pregnant%women)% 2.%Diarrhea%% 3.%Pneumonia% Malnutrition%plays%a%significant%role,% as%57%%of%the%deaths%would%not%have% occurred%if%the%children%were%not% malnourished.%%

Environmental'Health' '

Diet' '

Ensuring%a%regular%supply%of%drinking% water%to%the%entire%population% (especially%in%rural%areas%where%the% majority%of%the%people%live)%remains%a% challenge.%The%poor%water%quality% causes%sporadic%cholera%outbreaks% each%year,%which%continue%to%be%the% major%cause%of%diarrhea%for%these% people.%The%low%water%quality% remains%a%major%contributing%factor% to%high%childhood%mortality%rates.%

The%diet%of%Sierra%Leone%is%always% changing.%Food%prices%are%a%major% determining%factor%in%what%Sierra% Leoneans%buy%and%eat.%A%usual%meal% consists%of%rice%with%a%sauce%made%of% cassava%leaves,%palm%oil,%or%chili% pepper.%For%dessert%there%are%tropical% fruits%that%are%locally%grown,%such%as% bananas,%pineapple,%or%mango.% %

%%

Interesting Fact:
Please'email'Mitzi'Albano'at' mitzi.albano@yahoo.com'if'you' would'like'to'become'involved' with'the'CCA.
Sierra'Leone'has'the'worlds'highest'ratio'of'maternal'mortality'with'1'in'8'women' at'risk'of'dying'during'childbirth'and'one'of'the'highest'global'rates'of'infant' mortality'with'123'of'every'1000'babies'not'surviving'to'the'age'of'one.% %

All About Nurse Mary

Lorem Ipsum

Nurse Mary (pictured left) has helped deliver 3,000 babies, including twins and triplets, without the loss of one mother or baby. %

Who'is'Nurse'Mary?' '

Mary%Koroma%is%a%Nurse%Midwife%who% has%dedicated%her%life%to%saving% mothers%and%babies%from%Sierra% Leone.%She%is%the%Director%of%the%Sierra% Leone%branch%of%the%All%Africans% People%Development%and% Empowerment%Project%(AAPDEP*SL).%% She%leads%the%international%project%to% reduce%the%infant%and%maternal% mortality%rates%in%Sierra%Leone.%These% rates%are%currently%ranked%among%the% highest%in%the%world.

Her'impact:' %

In%eleven%years%of%civil%war,%an% estimated%150,000%people%died,% more%than%half%the%country%was% Nurse%Mary%worked%in%a%government% rendered%homeless,%600,000% hospital%where%she%witnessed%many% deaths%of%mothers%and%babies%due%to%a% refugees%(12%%of%the%population)% fled%to%neighboring%countries,% number%of%factors.%%The%two%main% more%than%200,000%women%were% factors%being%the%inability%to%pay%for% raped,%and%about%1,000%civilians% costs%of%services%and%the%lack%of% suffered%the%amputation%of%one%or% medical%equipment%to%support%these% women%and%children%during%childbirth.% more%limbs.%It%is%said%that%the%civil% war%was%initiated%due%to% After%leaving%this%position%at%the% corruption%and%mismanagement% government%hospital,%she%managed%to% in%the%diamond%sector.%% work%with%the%resources%she%had%to% % build%a%community%clinic.%Through%this% The%movie%Blood%Diamonds% clinic%she%was%able%to%provide%prenatal% shows%a%country%torn%apart%by%the% care,%attend%to%deliveries,%help%treat% struggle%between%government% diseases%and%illnesses%and%support%and% soldiers%and%rebel%forces.%The%title% train%others%to%deliver%babies%in%other% itself%refers%to%the%diamonds% areas%other%than%Sierra%Leone.%%% which%are%mined%in%African%war% zones%and%sold%to%finance% conflicts,%and%thereby%profit% warlords%and%diamond%companies% across%the%world.%% % For%the%past%several%years,%the%UN% has%listed%Sierra%Leone%as%the% worlds%least%livable%country,% based%on%its%poverty%and%the%poor% quality%of%life%endured%by%its% citizens.%% %

Civil'War'(1991X2002)' '

Africas'Future'in'African'Hands' Tour'

The% California% Nursing% Student%

Association%with%CASE%funding%and% other%campus%sponsors%are%proud%to% present%a%lecture%from%Nurse% Midwife%Mary%Koroma%from%the% Sierra%Leone%Region%of%Africa.% % Nurse%Mary%will%share%her%wealth%of% experience%as%a%midwife%and% community%organizer%along%with%her% powerful%personal%testimony%and% vision%for%the%sustainable% development%of%Africa%through% African%self*reliance%and%self* determination.% %

April'17,'2012' 4:30X6:00pm' San'Diego'State'University' Peterson'Gym'Room'153'

% Register%online%at:% https://studentaffairs.sdsu.edu/eo pdad/!ifiah Reservation+line+will+close+once+ limited+seating+is+filled.+

% %