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January 2026

TouroCOM Middletown Students Assemble Newborn Kits for Expecting Mothers in Sierra Leone

F.L.I.G.H.T. is proud to announce the successful completion of a collaborative newborn kit assembly project with Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM) in Middletown. Fourteen student organizations united to create newborn kits to support expecting mothers in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The kits were delivered by Co-founder and Board of Directors, Dr. Anjan Saha, as part of Project DIAMOND, F.L.I.G.H.T.’s comprehensive maternal health initiative designed to address Sierra Leone’s urgent maternal mortality crisis. The kits were distributed at Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH), Bonthe Government Hospital, and Kamakwie Wesleyan Hospital. Sierra Leone has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, with a lifetime risk of maternal death at 1 in 521. Many of these deaths are preventable, with medical complications further exacerbated by economic barriers and limited access to care.

“Global health exists at the intersection of medicine and humanity, offering an opportunity to address not only disease but the social fractures in society that sustain inequality. Together, we can dismantle those barriers. It was meaningful to work towards that end with my classmates.”

Natalie Asemi, M.S., M.P.H.

Communications Director, F.L.I.G.H.T.

Natalie Asemi (right) handing off newborn kits to Dr. Anjan Saha (left) as they begin their journey to support expecting mothers in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Jusu K. Sandy, hospital secretary at Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) holding the newborn kits delivered by co-founder and Board of Directors at F.L.I.G.H.T., Dr. Anjan Saha.
Students from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown after assembling newborn care kits to support expecting mothers in Sierra Leone.

The initiative was spearheaded by Natalie Asemi, F.L.I.G.H.T. Communications Director and TouroCOM medical student serving as T.E.A.C.H. Review Club President, in partnership with the Global Health Committee, Student National Medical Association (SNMA), Rural Health Club, American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), Volunteers for Service Interest Group (VSIG), South Asian Medical Student Association (SAMSA), OB/GYN Interest Group, Reproductive Health Coalition (RHC), Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), Pets in Medicine, Black in Medicine (BIM), American Medical Association (AMA), and Family Medicine Club.

We would like to thank the students and our supporters for being part of this effort:

Katrina Pai, MS-2
Abdullah Al Hashimi, MS-2
Sameer Jafri, MS-2
Alexis Schatzman, MS-2
Nick Santacroce, MS-2
Chinasa Okoro, MS-2
Maisha Alam, MS-2
Ishmeet Sekhon, MS-2
Funmi (Oludunmilayo) Adeniji, MS-2
Adeola Adeleke, MS-2
Katherine Neilsen, MS-2
Melissa Schiff, MS-2
Jack McCarron, MS-2
Tyler Sanchez, MS-2
Victoria Adedeji, MS-2
Mariam Siam, MS-2
Zalak Parikh, MS-2
Jessica Parrino, MS-2
Lauren Buchman, MS-2
Rianna Pannikodu, MS-2
Nitanta Girag, MS-2
Allyson Varcoe, MS-2
Grace Sanker, MS-2
Stephanie Walsh, MS-2
Briana Rosania, MS-2
Yanni Kleopoulos, MS-2
Mitch Shendarovich, MS-2

Maria Ungureanu, MS-2
Thu Bui, MS-2
Brian Ho, MS-2
Maeya Rambaud, MS-2
Janis Dong, MS-2
Harry Zay, MS-2
Ivon Hong, MS-2
Katrina Pai, MS-2
Andrew Li, MS-2
Greg Chang, MS-2
Janis Dong, MS-2
Lucia Verrelli, MS-2
Kauthub Prodduturi, MS-2
Manav Govil, MS-2
Audrey Mellan, MS-2
Kayleigh Miedreich, MS-2
Jaclyn Crossley, MS-2
Katelyn Ginley , MS-2
Fatima Khan, MS-2
Jackson Park, MS-2
Mariam Siam, MS-2
Valery Bognar, MS-2
Andry Flores, MS-2
Judy Salamah, MS-2
Jefferey Zhou, MS-2
Mohammad Bukhari, MS-2

Sources: 
Shafiq Y, Caviglia M, Juheh Bah Z, et al. Causes of maternal deaths in Sierra Leone from 2016 to 2019: analysis of districts’ maternal death surveillance and response data. BMJ Open. 2024;14(1):e076256.

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