Neurosurgeon Highlight: Alieu Kamara, MD, PhD, MMed

Dr. Alieu Kamara is a surgeon from Sierra Leone. He was born in an eastern village within Sierra Leone and faced difficulties during his childhood due to the 11-year civil war. His initial interest in medicine became apparent when he fouled his friend during a sports game, who then broke his arm. In resource-limited countries, an injury like this is common in childhood, but for Dr. Kamara, it motivated him to become a physician. However, despite this interest, Dr. Kamara faced issues with paying his tuition despite excelling on his medical entrance exams. This led him to study medicine in Jilin, China, earning both an MD and a Ph.D in orthopedic surgery. Soon after, he returned home to Sierra Leone. 

Upon his return, Dr. Kamara found gaps between his surgical knowledge and the needs of his patients. This realization encouraged him to pursue a neurotrauma fellowship in Morocco. This further training benefited him immensely. Today, he is the first and only neurosurgeon in Sierra Leone. Currently, he works at Connaught Hospital under the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital’s Complex (USLTHC), where he established the first neurosurgical unit in collaborations with the MissionBrain Foundation and the Ministry of Health to provide better support for neurosurgery in his home country. These joint efforts have strengthened health services, improved training opportunities and began to lay the foundation for more sustainable neurosurgical care and services.