The Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has on Tuesday 12 April commissioned Medicines Sans Frontier (MSF) newly renovated Intensive Care Units with a brand new oxygen plant at the Connaught Hospital in Freetown. According to the Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, the brand new oxygen plant will address the numerous challenges and intensive care cases that are referred to the hospital.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh said Connaught Hospital is now proud of having an ICU with the capacity to serve but also at the same time has the capacity to serve the ICU and also other facilities outside of Connaught. He said a couple of months ago, he had an opportunity to visit the hospital and he did a tour along with the Hospital Care Manager, Dr. Mustapha Kabba, at that time he said he saw the enthusiasm from the management to transform Connaught Hospital.
Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh further stated that Dr. Kabba explained to him that the Annexed Building would add to quality health care including the new oxygen plant and the special ward. He thanked the Management and more importantly, partners for their support noting the overhaul impact that the new Annexed Building would add to deliver quality health care to the people of Sierra Leone.
“COVID-19 Pandemic really brought to light the importance of oxygen facilities. During COVID-19 people were even forced to go in search of oxygen, today to have an oxygen plant that has the capacity to serve the ICU and also other facilities outside of Connaught is no doubt but the good work of the management of Connaught” he stated.
In his statement, the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby congratulated Connaught Hospital for winning three critical awards on Saturday, April 9 as the best referral hospital in the country, noting that it was a testament to the leadership and a testament to their good work they have provided for the people of Sierra Leone. He intimated that 9 months ago Connaught was described as a filthy place, but however, with the leadership quality provided by Dr. Mustapha Kabba, the hospital is now meeting the demand of its people and everything about the hospital is basically on transformational drives.
Dr. Austin Demby reiterated that there are four major components that are going to transform hospitals including physical infrastructure, disclosing that they are going to give the right infrastructure. He also said equipment and supplies are one of their transformation approaches to address the challenges faced by hospitals management and also to complement the staff capacity, stating that they are going to make sure that hospitals have the right staff capacity that would address the patient ratios in the country.
Addressing the gathering, the Connaught Hospital Care Manager, Dr. Med Mustapha Kabba disclosed that in line with their strategic plan, the hospital has been able to display major development strides in the last 10 months. He said 6 wards have been renovated including the one commissioned, a dedicated waste management truck was allocated to the hospital, incinerators have been built and refurbished, the specialist outpatient department has been renovated, surgical instruments to treat complex fractures have been provided, and ophthalmology services have been also provided to them.
Dr. Mustapha Kabba revealed that as they rolled out phase 2 of their strategic plan, which basically entails specialist services, he said the newly renovated Annexed building; ICU, and oxygen plant would contribute tremendously to achieving the overhaul objective of the hospital. He informed that the renovated Annexed building is a 50-bed space facility designed to provide some privacy and extra comfort to the patient admitted.
“It has been closed since 2019 for renovation. Consideration to establish a treatment and isolation center at Connaught Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic triggered support from the Medicine Sans Frontier to fully fund the renovation of the Annexed building” he said.
By Mohamed Amara Gando
