The Sierra Leone High Commission (SLHC) was represented today at a Basic Life Support (BLS) training session organised by community group Wel Bodi Beteh Pas Gentri (WBBPG) and delivered by Dr Mohamed Kamara, Emergency Consultant at Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust in Greater Manchester. The practical session took place at the Crawford Estate Tenants Hall in South East London and was live-streamed online to participants from across the UK and further afield, who received practical training on emergency response and life-saving interventions.
The training included expert presentations and practical demonstrations to guide participants in recognising and responding to heart attacks, cardiac arrest and choking incidents. They stressed the importance of high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), safe and effective use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), and rapid access to emergency medical services. Organisers highlighted the importance of immediate bystander CPR in the minutes following collapse or cardiac event, which is often referred to as the most critical time period in determining survival and neurological outcome.
Trainers cited UK statistics that ambulance services attempt to resuscitate approximately 43,000 people a year who have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Still, fewer than one in 10 reportedly survive to hospital discharge, to underline the urgency for public health. Participants were reminded that early recognition of symptoms, early initiation of CPR and prompt defibrillation when indicated can significantly improve chances of survival and reduce long-term disability.
Dr Kamara, who is originally from Sierra Leone, has more than 30 years’ experience working in the NHS and comes to his community training work with a wealth of clinical expertise and a strong commitment to public health. Outside of his clinical role in emergency medicine, he has been a leading campaigner on tackling health inequalities affecting Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. He is Co-Chair of the Staff Inclusion Race Empowerment Network (SIREN) for his Trust and has spent much of his career championing equality, health education and community empowerment.
Through Wel Bodi Beteh Pas Gentri (Health is Better Than Wealth in Krio), Dr Kamara has been at the forefront of many programs to promote healthier lifestyles and to equip people with practical knowledge that can save lives. He has collaborated with organisations such as the Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN) and has been an influential voice in public health advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. His work has received recognition in the form of awards including a CAHN Lifetime Achievement Award, an award at the first-ever Black Healthcare Awards and the All Works of Life (AWOL) Unsung Hero Community Award for his humanitarian work in the United Kingdom and Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leone High Commission appreciated the opportunity to participate in the session and congratulated Dr Kamara and the WBBPG team for their ongoing efforts to increase awareness of public health and readiness for emergencies. The High Commission also seized the opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of Sierra Leonean professionals in the diaspora, noting that their expertise, leadership and community service continue to bring distinction to Sierra Leone whilst improving health and safety across communities.
