Spotlight on Francis Gbuagapia Momoh

Career background:

I am a Development Economist, public health professional and social researcher with a Bachelors in Development & Economics, Diploma in Health studies, a Higher Diploma in Community and Public Health and many other certificates in health, management, monitoring and research.

Role in CRIBS:

I was one of the Cradle-5 team members, working as a District Research Officer doing the planning, coordination, engagement and rollout of Cradle-5 hybrid randomized clinical trial research in Sierra Leone.

I am a young Sierra Leonean who is passionate about transforming and employing research evidence(s) to inform health policies and programs to influence an improve health outcome.

I am so grateful to the CRIBS team for the invaluable skills and experiences gained over the two years period in the planning, coordinating, engagement and rollout of the Cradle-5 clinical trial research in Sierra Leone.

Due to my many years of work experience on health system strengthening in Sierra Leone: from Emergencies, Reproductive health and Maternal & Neonatal health programs, I have gained a strong commitment to continue to contribute to saving lives of mothers, new-born and adolescent health in Sierra Leone.  With this background,  joining the CRIBS team was another great opportunity for me to continue my contribution to health system strengthening with an evidence based decisions making approach to health policies and to bring new innovation to improve the health of mothers, and new-born in Sierra Leone.

I was so happy being part of the CRIBS team as a District Research Officer who led the data collection, review, analysis, management of maternal death, Neonatal death, pre-Eclampsia, Eclampsia and hysterectomy. This provided me with an exciting opportunity to contribute to an effective health policy decision making in Sierra Leone by offering evidence-based support to local and national policy makers which have fostered the inclusion of cradle VSA devices procurement in the National health procurement plan.

I was so pleased to have had the opportunity to participate in the Cradle-5 hybrid randomized clinical trial in Sierra Leone, and this was my first extensive experience being part of a research rollout that aims to bring evidence on clinical outcome and the introduction of a life saving device (Cradle VSA device) which detects underlying health conditions of pregnancy and promotes timely and appropriate management at all health facilities.

In general, my time with CRIBS/Cradle-5 program as a District Research Officer has been a rewarding path, allowing me to contribute to the advancement of maternal health in Sierra Leone through an in-depth evidence-based clinical research on maternal death, Neonatal death, pre-Eclampsia, Eclampsia and hysterectomy.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of Cradle team that is dedicated to improving  and saving lives of women, new-born with the introduction of the Cradle VSA device and building the capacity of health care staff on early detection, diagnose timely referrals of critical cases and appropriate management of cases.

Something about your CRIBS experience:

In my role as a District Research Officer, I made major contributions to the design, coordination, stakeholders engagement, trail rollout, data collection, review, analysis and reporting on the cradle-5 clinical trial in Sierra Leone. I led the Cradle-5 clinical trial stakeholder’s engagement, data collection, entering in the midscinet and timely reporting on the trial which contributed to the quality outcome of the trial.

Furthermore, I was part of the vibrant dedicated team that led the primary data collection, review, analysis and mentorship and coaching of over 300 Health care workers, on the use and basic maintenance of the cradle VSA device at peripheral health units, clinics and referral hospitals and on the key Cradle-5 clinical data indicators, which fostered the quality of data from patient’s clinical records in adherence to all data protection and safety standards.

I relentlessly reached out to sampled health facilities in Koinadugu district, Northern Sierra Leone and collected, and reviewed 9947 patient clinical data on the clinical trial indicators such as maternal death, Neonatal death, pre-Eclampsia, and hysterectomy from the different clinical registers at health facilities. 

Something personal: 

As a young researcher my future desire is to pursue a career as a Professional health researcher with a focus on maternal, Neonatal and Neglected tropical diseases. Building upon the experience I have already acquired from health research and from the Cradle-5 clinical trial, my goal is to continue actively contributing to the conducting of health research to bring out critical health results and to influence policy makers to adapt it in the health system and improve the overall health outcomes.

I my leisure time I love reading the bible, listening to religious preaching.  I read news both national and international and watch football games especially English premier and Spanish Laliga league.

 

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