August — The Minister of Health, Dr Austin Demby, and his senior leadership team visited the site to inspect the progress of the construction of a modern Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences facility at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS). The visit was aimed at assessing the level of completion and talking to the contractors about realistic deadlines for finishing the project.
The new, modernised facility, valued at about USD 3.5 million, is testimony to the commitment of the Government of Sierra Leone to transformation in the delivery of health care and education. It is designed to cater for some 1,500 students and will be a centre of excellence for medical education, training, research and innovation.
During the inspection, Dr Demby pointed out the significance of the facility beyond the physical building. “This facility will be used to train the next generation of health professionals,” he said, stressing the government’s commitment to strengthening the health workforce. The minister and his team also met with contractors to outline milestones expected to keep the project on track.
The new faculty building will feature state-of-the-art laboratories, interactive teaching classrooms and advanced research capabilities to provide an ideal setting for learning and scientific discovery. “The facility will serve as an enabling environment to produce highly skilled health workers and will be a beacon of hope for the future of healthcare in Sierra Leone,” officials say.
As construction continues, the Ministry will continue to monitor progress to ensure the facility is completed to specification and handed over as a lasting testament to the Government’s investment in education, health systems strengthening and the development of future healthcare leaders.
