The University of Makeni (UNIMAK) on Friday officially received a delegation from CapaCare at its Fatima Campus, marking the start of discussions toward a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery in Sierra Leone.

The delegation was welcomed by UNIMAK’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Turay, together with the Director of Academic Affairs, Rev. Fr. George Gbamanja. The CapaCare team included the Assistant Country Director, Hannah Ashley, and Instructor Professor Marco, underscoring the growing collaboration between local academic institutions and international health partners.

Speaking during the engagement, Professor Turay said UNIMAK continues to record steady growth, with student enrolment now exceeding 7,000. He highlighted the expansion of the university’s Public Health Department, noting the rising number of students enrolled in the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme as a strong basis for impactful partnerships in healthcare education and service delivery.

In her remarks, Ms. Ashley explained that CapaCare’s work in Sierra Leone focuses on building surgical capacity and advancing health equity. She noted that the organization has been operating in Masanga since 2011, adding that the future of healthcare delivery in the country depends largely on evidence-based training led by local professionals.

She further emphasized that empowering Sierra Leoneans through quality training is essential to ensuring that the next generation of medical experts is well prepared to deliver high-quality healthcare services nationwide.