The Coordinator of Sick Pikin Project, Ishmael Charles, has commended the Director General and Management of NASSIT for funding the medical treatment of Melvin Jesse Brima at the Max Super Speciality Hospital in India.
Mr. Charles said he was buoyed and gratified by the humanitarian gesture of the Director General, describing it as one of its kind in Sierra Leone, during a courtesy call at the NASSIT headquarters in Freetown on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.
In his statement, the Director General of NASSIT, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, thanked all the well-wishers and Sierra Leoneans who made concerted efforts to ensuring that Melvin Jessie Brima and the other child, Ismail Kosia Sudie Mansaray, were flown for medical treatment to India.
The Director General also thanked His Excellency the President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, for according him the privilege to serve his country, and that such humanitarian gesture was done in line with the vision and aspirations of the President.
Mr. Daboh further thanked the Management of Sick Pikin and the parents of both children for their relentless efforts, moral and financial support and endurance to the point of making sure that the kids were given medical treatment. He recalled the marathon Sick Pikin Project organised to raise funds during which, he as Director General, made a pledge on behalf of NASSIT that the Trust would fund one of the sick children for medical treatment in India.
Mr. Daboh said, “In that regard, NASSIT as a Trust donated the sum of Eighteen Thousand United States dollars towards the medical bill and NASSIT Staff also contributed and donated Ten Million Leones towards the treatment of Melvin Jesse Brima who was suffering from congenital septal defect”.
The Director General further stated that the primary role of NASSIT as a Social Security Scheme is to administer Sierra Leone's National Pension Scheme but that the Trust could, however, intervene in critical situations where necessary like in Melvin's case to save lives. "NASSIT registers its members, collects contributions from employers and pays pensions as and when the need arises. But we could also perform a duty to the State as corporate social responsibility", he elucidated.
Mr. Daboh concluded by expressing thanks and appreciation to the NASSIT Board of Trustees and Management and also to the staff whose personal contributions towards the medical treatment of the sick child were highly commendable. He implored all to continue in any little way in supporting the other sick children.
The Coordinator of the Sick Pikin Project, Mr. Ishmael Alfred Charles, thanked the Director General and Board of Trustees of NASSIT for such a humanitarian gesture. He said the reason for the courtesy visit was to inform the Director General about the arrival of Melvin who went to India for medical treatment.
On her part, the mother of Melvin thanked the Director General, Management and staff of NASSIT and also the Management of Sick pekin Project for contributing towards the medical evacuation of her child, and appealed to other Sierra Leoneans to emulate the good example.
"Throughout our stay in India we were cared for and given necessary attention”, she explained.