Ministry, PIH Review Koidu Hospital Plans
The Ministry of Health and Partners In Health (PIH) Sierra Leone convened a meeting to review critical infrastructure development plans, severe staffing shortages, and service delivery challenges at Koidu Government Hospital, aiming to enhance facility management and patient care standards across the district.
On November 3, 2026, at the office of Chief Medical Officer Dr. med Mustapha Sundifu Kabba in Freetown, the PIH delegation led by Executive Director Madam Vickey Reed and Director of Policy and Partnership Mr. Yembeh Marrah, alongside Director of Hospital and Ambulance Services Mr. Ibrahim Foday-Musa and local hospital administrators discussed the upcoming demolition of five structures at Koidu Government Hospital—including the water tower, mosque, Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) facility, oxygen plant, and main store—to clear space for necessary topographical and geotechnical site assessments prior to major construction.
To prevent disruption to essential immunization services during construction, officials evaluated relocating the EPI facility to the District Health Management Team (DHMT) complex. Temporary operational setups, including utilizing the former paediatric facility following its move to the refurbished maternity building, were also examined.
The hospital overhaul encompasses a brand-new paediatric complex, upgraded wastewater and potable water infrastructure, and the construction of paved internal access roads, with discussions of staff attendance, accountability, management gaps and secondment arrangements put forward as key strategies to bridge critical staffing shortages and boost operational performance.
Dr. Kabba emphasized that physical developments must be paired with robust staffing, supervision, and governance to yield real improvements in healthcare delivery.
The delegation also tackled maternal and neonatal mortality, focusing on preventing avoidable deaths. Hospital leadership outlined proactive measures to enhance emergency response systems, increase clinical oversight, conduct mortality reviews, and enforce professional standards.
Recent targeted interventions are already showing results: deploying a dedicated medical officer to the paediatric emergency entrance recently contributed to a two-week period with zero recorded paediatric deaths.
Additionally, the meeting introduced Daniel, a newly appointed PIH team member tasked with operationalizing the Dorma Training Centre. He will focus on curriculum design, training implementation, and simulation-based health learning activities.
Urging sustained partnership, Dr. Kabba called for strict financial accountability and seamless collaboration between the Ministry and external partners to ensure structural investments translate directly to improved patient safety.
The proceedings concluded with an agreement to reconvene within two weeks to formalize support strategies and review progress on outstanding operational goals.
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