Catherine Jackson-Cole, Sierra Leone
As a final year medical student, I have come across so many sick patients during ward rounds particularly in internal medicine and surgical rounds...a particular case that struck me was that of a young man in his early 30s who had to have an amputation(a surgery i assisted in) because of a leg ulcer as a result of diabetes meilitus...in Sierra Leone where I live, most foot ulcers are labelled as ‘witchcraft’ ‘demonic’ or something equally absurd and as such people seek traditional healers who make vegetable concoctions that are applied to the ulcers, not to talk about the heat and smoke (apparent healing methods) that are also applied! As a result fewer and fewer people seek medical attention until the last moment when there is no other option but amputation! On the surgical operating table I distinctively remember the young man loosing consciousness before any anesthesia was administered! In his heart he thought - I am about to loose my leg! concerning risk factors...sedentary lifestyle and family history seem to be at the top of the list and there’s so much we can do here in terms of education and community level outreach!