Abdul Jalloh was the only practicing psychiatrist in Sierra Leone when he took over the country’s sole psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of the capital. Now six years later, the young doctor is leading a transformation of mental health services in the West African nation. He abolished the practice of chaining patients to their beds, and has worked hard to attract new talent with the help of a U.
S.-based nonprofit that has invested millions of dollars, along with Sierra Leone's government. The hospital now has three fully qualified psychiatrists and seven doctors in a new residency training program, the first in the country’s history.
The hospital has also added nine specialized mental health nurses, along with addiction professionals, clinical psychologists and occupational therapists for a total of 135 staff. During a recent Associated Press visit, an Afrobeats song played during a young men's football game in the courtyard. All were patients, many undergoing treatment for drug addiction.
The scene would have been unthinkable before Jalloh took over. The hospital was once known among locals as the “Crase Yard," or yard for crazy people. Now it's known as the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital.
It has helped give the facility, the oldest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, a new reputation. “We have been able to change the face of this infrastructure,” Jalloh said in an interview. “From a place that people were ashamed to bring their family members, a p.