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Sierra Leone’s President Dr. Julius Maada Bio is in Philadelphia on the invite of University of Pennsylvania Arts and Science Center for Africana Studies to attend the 3rd Annual Distinguished Lecture in Africana Studies titled- “Navigating the Future: Democracy, Progressive Politics and Inclusive Development in Africa – The Sierra Leone Experience.” President Bio (shown below, far left) is welcomed March 23, by Ambassador Wai and Deputy Permanent Representative Sowa. Photo: Sierra Leone Embassy.
During the President’s stay, he will get Health Sector meetings with University of Pennsylvania Medicine and the School of Nursing experts to discuss Malaria, Maternal and Infant mortality as well as Nursing Training.
President Bio will deliver a Public Lecture at the Perry World House Forum, where he will be escorted by Provost John Jackson, and Professor Wale Adebanwi. Congressman Dwight Evans will introduce the President of Sierra Leone on stage on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Public Lecture will be followed by a question and answer session.
President Bio will later visit the Museum of America Revolution.
In another discussion, State House and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation will pursue partnership between University of Pennsylvania and the government of Sierra Leone, similar to the one University of Pennsylvania has with Botswana. This discussion will further border around improved clinical management of obstetrics and infant care, clinical mentorship and exchange program for students and faculty, innovations in advanced nursing care, and digital transformation of healthcare training and delivery through e-health platforms.
It will also cover migration from disease-based therapies to patient/client- centered care, implementation on science as well as basic science research to address major health challenges facing Sierra Leone. It has national, regional and global implications with answers to such questions in infectious diseases and chronic diseases, and also public health approach to integrating primary healthcare and health security.
Sierra Leone will explore the possibility of having a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Pennsylvania which will cover broad areas as mentioned above.
President Bio will also meet with the Interim President of University of Pennsylvania, Larry Jameson. The President will engage University of Pennsylvania Global and Perry World House Leadership.
On the agenda also, President Bio will meet with Ben Jealous, former Executive Director of NAACP, former Maryland Governortorial Candidate, current Executive Director of Sierra Club, and Professor of Practice at University of Pennsylvania at the Perry World House-Room 219 where President Bio will discuss Climate and Mining Policies.
The Center for Africana Studies is dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding of the peoples of Africa and their diaspora. Black Studies or Africana Studies more broadly, is an interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary approach to studying and understanding the experience of African people and African descendants across the Diaspora.
President Bio and his delegation were received at the Atlantic Aviation by Ambassador Sidique Abou-Bakarr Wai, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United States, Sierra Leone’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amara Sowa, Honorary Consul General of Sierra Leone in Miami, George Hamilton, Sierra Leone Consul Mohammed Barrie of Boston, Massachusetts, Head of Chancery Embassy of the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington, DC and Head of Chancery of Sierra Leone Permanent Mission in New York Sulay-Mannah Kpukumu, and other Sierra Leoneans in United States.
