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To ensure an all-inclusive approach to understanding chronic lung diseases, Lung Health Centre will operate under four main pillars: diagnosis and treatment, research, outreach and capacity-strengthening (human and institutional).
Our current focus is on COPD and Asthma due to symptomatic
similarities, but we will focus on more chronic diseases in future.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Advertisements will be made via radio, TV and other mediums, describing symptoms so people experiencing such symptoms can visit our clinic for diagnosis and treatment if positively diagnosed.
Lung Health Centre will also accept referrals from selected general practitioners or medical institutions that have partnership agreements with us. Diagnosis and treatment will be offered free of cost or on a cost-recovery basis as deemed fit by the Lung Health Centre Board of Trustees.
Research
The core of Lung Health Centre’s existence is to diagnose and treat chronic lung diseases, starting with COPD and Asthma, and undertake research to contribute to existing knowledge and provide a greater understanding of COPD and Asthma. In particular, we are interested in risk factors/causes, progression, the impact of the disease on the patient and their family, and good practices for its prevention and treatment.
We aim to conduct research at several levels – baseline assessment, longitudinal study of individuals and periodical evaluation of specific interventions. Knowledge and learning from the research can be shared with the Sierra Leonean Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) and other institutions involved in COPD, Asthma and other chronic lung diseases work as a whole, to enhance future research or ploughed back into Lung Health Centre to improve practices.
Outreach
As a research institution, Lung Health Centre will contribute to public understanding of COPD in order to reduce the risk of exposure and slow down progression in patients. Outreach will take the form of public engagement and education onsite and through the use of media (print, electronic, social, etc.). Under this pillar, Lung Health Centre will visit or invite patients/subjects recruited for research to undertake periodic scientific observations in their homes to observe the existence of risk factors and provide advice.
Institutional and Human Capacity Strengthening
Lung Health Centre is interested in reducing the incidence and impact of COPD on patients and the community at large. Strengthening health/medical institutions and staff are therefore significant to achieving this aspiration.
Interventions under this pillar will involve sharing good practices on understanding respiratory diseases within LHC with medical institutions throughout the country through seminars, workshop, sponsoring candidates to attend an international conference and supporting research in the field. LHC will also reach a partnership with the University of Sierra Leone/College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences to explore improved strategies for teaching and promoting research into respiratory diseases, including COPD.
What We Do
Learn more about the work we do to overcome COPD and Asthma.
Our Values
Learn more about the values that inspire and guide our work.
Our Vision, Mission & Goal
Learn more about what we hope to do and why we do it.
Brief History of Sierra Leone
Learn more about Sierra Leone, the country we are helping.