Vandi Magona Koroma

Vandi Magona Koroma is the Community Health Officer (CHO) at United Methodist Church (UMC) Health Centre in Jaiama Nimikoro, Kono District, Sierra Leone. The facility provides care to 13 communities, and Vandi serves in both an administrative and clinical capacity.

Vandi received his secondary education from the Bo School, an exclusive government boarding school. It was here, that Vandi says, his dream of becoming a doctor blossomed. He started his medical career by pursuing a higher diploma in Community and Clinical Health Services, completing his studies in 2015.

After graduation, Vandi served at the Bendu-Cha Community Health Center, located in the Bonthe District. He spent one year at the clinic, gaining valuable experience in the assessment and treatment of illnesses in children under five and adults.

One of the challenges Vandi saw this community face was limited access to hospital care. The referral hospital for his clinic was located on Bonthe Island. As a result, he had to coordinate the transportation of patients, who required advanced medical care, to the hospital by boat. Vandi says this experience helped him develop the skills and courage to work in difficult environments.

In order to continue building on his experience, he accepted his current role with United Methodist Church Health Centre in Jaiama Nimikoro, Sierra Leone. He is passionate about his clinical work and appreciates the opportunity to gain skills in health center management.

Since stepping into his role five years ago, Vandi has observed patients, especially children under five, seeking care later than their illnesses warranted. The reason, he says, is a widespread believe in the use of traditional, at-home remedies. To mitigate this challenge, Vandi’s team organizes community engagement meetings and robust home visits within their catchment area.

Another common challenge is one Vandi has experienced before—lack of transportation to the facility. Many of the villages in the Health Center’s catchment are in hard-to-reach areas. Because of this, the facility engages in community outreach events to bring support directly to these villages. Additionally, Vandi contributes to facility efforts to improve health indicators, including Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH), Imagine No Malaria (INM), and donations of drugs and equipment by donor partners—an area that CMMB’s Medical Donations Program is proud to contribute to. The donated medical supplies are essential for the care of patients who lack the means to pay for medical care.

When asked about what he hopes for, Vandi says, “I want to serve a community where everyone has access to quality health care services without suffering financial hardship.