1 Comment 
Hon. Bernadette Wuyatta Songa, Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Member of Parliament for Kailahun District and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, has accused several government hospitals and health workers of charging patients and mismanaging free medical supplies
According to The Performer newspaper, she made these statements during a committee session held on Tuesday, 19 August 2025, in Committee Room One at Parliament. Songa said some District Medical Officers (DMOs) were asking patients to pay between NLe 50 and NLe 60 before they are allowed to see a doctor. She also accused some of collecting up to NLe 300 from women giving birth, even though the government has made maternal services free.
She named Rokupa Government Hospital and others where records of free supplies from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation were not being kept well. She said this raises concern about how items meant to support patients are being used. Hospital administrators and matrons were called on to fix these issues and put patient care first.
The committee also found that some nurses were leaving their stations before the end of their shifts. In some hospitals visited, patient plan sheets were either not available or not filled out properly. Songa noted that this kind of neglect can cause confusion in treatment and lead to serious problems, especially in situations where patients lose their lives.
She also accused hospital clerks of collecting money from patients without proper records or accountability. The committee is planning to summon these clerks to Parliament to answer questions about their duties and how patient funds are being handled.
Songa made it clear that the purpose of the committee’s engagement was not to shame or embarrass health workers, but to hold them accountable and push for better service delivery. She reminded hospital leaders and staff that their responsibility is to care for the people, especially the poor and those in vulnerable situations.
The Health Committee will continue monitoring health facilities across the country and expects clear improvements in how services are delivered, how free supplies are managed, and how hospital staff carry out their roles.
That’s a good job done, only praying that affirmative actions be taken to sanitize every aspect of the healthcare systems so that genuine transparency & accountability is maintained. Kudos to you Mdm MP.