DIRECT AID Country Director, Mr. Haitham Shouman has disclosed in an exclusive interview at his Kossoh Town headquarter office on Saturday 25th November, 2023, that they have slated two days, Saturday and Sunday for registration and screening programmes for free surgical operation for Sierra Leonean patients with the following ailments such as hernia, fistula, breast cancer among others but do not have the financial strength to pay for their treatments. He also said they are targeting over one hundred and fifty (150) patients in Freetown alone, revealing that they have already paid the Freetown Hospital at Lumley for their treatments.

The Director furthered that after the two days exercise, those who are to go for immediate treatments will go to the hospital while others will be on the waiting list.

The soft spoken, very open and highly accommodating Director also added that DIRECT AID has centers and clinics in the provinces including Lungi, Makeni and Kenema where similar opportunities are extended to those that may be fortunate to get it since it will be very difficult to serve everyone in the country that may be in need of similar gesture at the same time. He also noted that they have collaborated with the government of Sierra Leone to use the Kenema Government Hospital to foster a target of about eight hundred beneficiaries. He also maintained that about fifty thousand pound sterling (50,000) has been dished out for the exercise. The Director also added that DIRECT AID is operating in about 30-31 countries in Africa on similar fold. He also stressed that the cardinal aim of DIRECT AID in the country is to foster assistance to people in various areas including education, health, construction, sponsoring of orphanage operation, water supply and economic development. He maintained also that all initiatives are geared towards boosting government’s development agenda, adding that these are some of the reasons that the international headquarters of DIRECT AID in Kuwait in the Middle East is doing extremely well to continue humanitarian gesture to countries in Africa including Sierra Leone on a similar note.

In his contributions, the Secretary General of DIRECT AID, Mr. Abu Bakarr Jabbie also confirmed the operation the NGO in other countries in Africa including Yemen. And he disclosed that the turnout of the people will motivate them to do more which is why he is urging his brothers and sisters in the country to endeavour to go for the treatment. He also noted that as the old maxims says, “health is wealth,” the patriotic Secretary General who loves his people endlessly urged everyone with these ailments to go and grab the opportunity with open hands since it will be very difficult to come by in the short distance future. He succinctly analyzed the areas in the country that also benefited in similar facilities from the donors including Kenema, Makeni and Freetown. The dynamic and very hard working Secretary General also maintained that before this time DIRECT AID has been assisting people with eye problems especially in Makeni but they have now extended it to people with other sicknesses including hernia, Fistula, Breast Cancer. He also added that as a Non- Governmental Organization (NGO) DIRECT AID aim is to prop the government of the country in its developmental strives to citizens in diverse ways. “Our services are free. The effort that a beneficiary patient has to afford is transportation,” he stated.

Rev. Moses S. Serry extended thanks and appreciation to DIRECT AID for what he referred to as real humanitarian gesture that was extended to them at the right time for which they are highly grateful. Parents of two year old Amidu Tarawallie also extended their sincere thanks and appreciation to the donors. Pa Mohamed Alhaji Kamara another patient, including other men and women also extended their profound thanks and appreciation to DIRECT AID for their great assistance at very difficult time like this in the country and the world at large.