Krasnodar Doctor Recounts Boat Journey to Patients in Africa

Anastasia Kalita works as a neonatologist in the neonatal intensive care unit at Regional Clinical Hospital No. 2 in Krasnodar. At age 25, she became a participant in a humanitarian mission to West Africa. The Krasnodar resident spent three weeks in Sierra Leone and helped hundreds of people. Anastasia told 93.RU about how the trip went and what challenges she faced.

Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, bordering Guinea and Liberia. Its population is about 8 million people. According to the UN Human Development Index in 2025, Sierra Leone ranks 185th out of 193 countries. The unemployment rate exceeds 50%. Average life expectancy is 55 years. The majority of the population is employed in agriculture and the service sector.

— How did you become a participant in the humanitarian mission?

— The dream to go to a distant continent to help, to save people, appeared in me long before medical university. And work and university instilled in me the confidence that I could do it. So, when such an opportunity arose, I almost without thinking sent an application to participate in the humanitarian-medical mission of Yekaterina Glok, a world-renowned midwife.

I didn«t have to persuade the management for long. The chief doctor approved the idea, saying it was a wonderful experience.

— What documents and vaccinations were required for the trip?

— First of all, it«s a matter of personal safety, so before going to an area endemic for yellow fever, I needed to get vaccinated. We also prepared documents proving that I am indeed a certified doctor, so that the government of Sierra Leone would issue me a work permit.

The mission grows every year, and if the first consisted of only three people, the fourth humanitarian mission involved 13 specialists. This includes a surgeon, oncologist, dentist, gynecologist, midwife, neonatologist, and so on. Our mission is growing, with more and more specialists joining.

— Were you prepared for what you would see? What surprised you?

— You definitely need to prepare for such a trip, and the footage I initially saw, of course, instilled some fear, some uncertainty, but I overcame all anxieties. Conditions differ, from natural to hospital equipment.

Actually, it«s an incredibly beautiful country on the Atlantic coast. I was surprised by how warm it is. Regarding wildlife, there were huge spiders that scared us, but in hotels, we slept in special nets so that no one would intrude at night. We also used protection against malaria mosquitoes.

As for hospital conditions, yes, there are colossal differences. First of all, our tools were hands, eyes, and clinical thinking; we had to rely not on technology, but on our own knowledge and experience.

— How did you reach your patients? What «challenge» do you remember most?

— During the project, we visited four cities, one island, several villages. There were hard-to-reach places where we had to travel by special off-road vehicles. Also, the local Ministry of Health allocated a whole bus for our team and suitcases with humanitarian aid.

To the island, we sailed for two hours on a boat, from which we simultaneously bailed out water. These are indescribable emotions, cooler than any extreme attractions.

During the trip, we provided assistance to 716 patients. Probably one of the most memorable cases: when our team of gynecologists discovered a woman in serious condition during rounds. At night, we transported her by boat for several hours, although every minute counted, the patient needed emergency surgery. We definitely have several saved lives on our account, and that is something that will never be forgotten.

— What are the medical conditions there, you say you needed to perform emergency surgery — where did surgeries take place?

— We worked based in hospitals. That is, in certain cities, they have clinics, hospitals where patients are brought. Yes, of course, these are conditions unfamiliar to us, but nevertheless, we had the opportunity to provide help right in the hospital, including operating rooms.

Motherhood and birth, it«s the same on any continent, it»s physiology. But for example, in Sierra Leone, there were no machines for artificial lung ventilation, which is currently an integral part of caring for premature newborns.

As part of the humanitarian mission, we brought for the population clothing, shoes, toys for children, but also medical equipment — ultrasound machines, CT scanners, and so on. We left the equipment behind.

— How did you communicate with patients, were there any problems with mutual understanding?

— In Sierra Leone, the main language is English, as well as the international Creole. There was a language barrier, but we managed to overcome it with sign language, and local doctors helped us. There were, by the way, many medics who received education in Russia, they also spoke Russian. So we found a common language quite quickly and provided assistance in teamwork.

— Did you need to explain some basic things to locals in terms of hygiene?

— Our dentists even brought from Orenburg a huge brush and taught the local population how to brush teeth properly, conducted master classes, after which they gave each a personal brush for oral hygiene.

— Was there free time, did you manage to see the country? In some photos from the trip, you have braids, did they braid them there?

— There was free time when we first arrived and paperwork was being processed. Government representatives warmly received us, took us to beaches of incredible beauty. We also managed to visit a park with chimpanzees. We got acquainted with local culture, people, it«s an incredibly kind people with great strength of spirit.

Otherwise, actually, the schedule was quite tight, two or three days, and we moved to another city. As a rule, we entered the hospital at 08:00 and were there until the end, as long as our help was needed, as long as the queue at the hospital didn«t end, we stayed at our workplaces.

— Were the queues large for medical help?

— Yes, the queues were incredible, especially in the first days when we came, started at the hospital. Huge crowds of people awaited us, because for some, it was the first opportunity in their lives to receive medical care. In the country, medical help is free for pregnant women and children under five years old, and beyond that — paid. So, when we said we would help for free, there was a huge number of willing people.

— Was your work in West Africa paid?

— This is a volunteer project, so there was no talk of any salary. Moreover, we bought most of the humanitarian aid ourselves. We were also helped by caring people who bought medicines, clothing, equipment and sent them to us.

— In the future, would you like to return to this country?

— Yes, I think that soon Sierra Leone should definitely become a tourist country that will welcome guests, because the views, the nature they have, is just incredible. Everyone should visit there.

Regarding medical work, I would like to return with more experience and bring more equipment, technology, and help. The coolest thing is that our mission is open to new specialists. You can apply and go as a doctor-volunteer, or you can participate in purchasing humanitarian aid. For 2026, coordination is already underway for the next countries.

The International Mission of Yekaterina Glok is a humanitarian project aimed at developing cooperation between Russia and African countries and BRICS+, training medical specialists, and providing assistance to those in need. The trip to Sierra Leone took place from December 6 to 26. According to the plan, by 2028, participants of the humanitarian mission will also visit Guinea, Congo, Senegal, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Rwanda, and other countries.