Chinese medical team trains Sierra Leone nursing students in push to build local capacity

The 27th batch of the Chinese medical team delivered its first public academic lecture to nursing students at the Bo Campus of Njala University in Sierra Leone on May 30.

The lecture was presented by Gao Kelei, an Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) specialist from the 27th batch of the Chinese medical team. Hundreds of nursing students attended the session, alongside senior university officials and faculty leaders from the College of Medical Sciences.

Gao’s presentation, titled "Early Detection and Standardized Nursing Interventions for Common ENT Diseases," focused on practical clinical protocols. He broke down complex anatomical concepts into practical, step-by-step guidelines suited to the resource constraints of local primary care facilities. Rather than a conventional lecture, the session was designed as an active academic exchange to help students better grasp and retain the material.

The classroom maintained high engagement during the case study simulations. Students participated directly in the clinical scenarios, answered questions, and discussed practical management approaches for airway safety, pediatric foreign body removal and infection control.

Following the lecture, Gao and Acting Dean Angella M. George held a meeting to discuss the future of this educational partnership. Both parties agreed on a preliminary framework for continued collaboration, which would include regularly scheduled public medical lectures, joint free medical clinics in local communities, and clinical practice opportunities for Njala University nursing students at the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital.

For the 27th batch of the Chinese medical team, this lecture represents a new approach to medical assistance. While direct patient care remains a core priority, the team is also incorporating knowledge transfer, clinical research methodologies, and capacity building for future nurses and health care professionals to reinforce the foundation of the local medical system.