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| Former KSLP Clinical Lead and Ebola Volunteer, Ahmed Seedat |
I initially volunteered with KSLP as clinical lead from September 2013 to March 2014, having spent the previous six months volunteering with VSO (Volunteer Services Overseas) in Sierra Leone.
In those early days it was just Oliver and me, shortly
joined by Suzanne, so our roles were a little more fluid and we had a bit more
space in the office!
My role mainly involved supporting the Connaught Hospital
Improvement Committee, particularly in strengthening the Accident &
Emergency Department, supporting colleagues at COMAHS in delivering
teaching and training for undergraduate medical students as well as working
on postgraduate training with a focus on strengthening the internship
programme.
I returned to Freetown in August – September for the Ebola
outbreak.
Back in the UK I'm a Respiratory Registrar
trainee based in South London but left for an OOPE (out of programme
experience) in November 2015 – I managed to stay in the UK for just
over a year!
Currently I'm in Yida, Unity State, South
Sudan working as a medical doctor for MSF. In Yida, MSF are
providing medical care for the refugee population affected by
conflict in South Sudan and the disputed South Kordofan region.
Although the context is very different requiring a
different approach and perspective I find that as with KSLP, relationships between
national and international staff, the wider community and other
key stakeholders are extremely important. This can be less than
straightforward in an unstable region or area affected
by conflict. Nevertheless, building relationships particularly with
colleagues and the local community lays the foundations for trust,
mutual learning and knowledge exchange which is not only helpful for
us as individuals but hopefully translates into wider health gains for the local population.
