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The Ministry of Health has officially operationalized the Paul E. Farmer Maternal Center of Excellence in Kono District, admitting its first patients and marking a major step in efforts to improve maternal and newborn healthcare in eastern Sierra Leone.
The facility received 27 patients on its opening day and recorded 13 successful deliveries, including seven caesarean sections and six normal births, all without reported complications.
Health officials say the results demonstrate the center’s readiness to provide comprehensive obstetric services in one of the country’s underserved regions.
President Julius Maada Bio commissioned the center in October 2025. Following the commissioning, the Ministry of Health worked in collaboration with Partners In Health Sierra Leone and staff at Koidu Government Hospital to prepare the facility for full operations.
According to the Ministry, the transition from commissioning to full clinical services involved coordinated planning, staffing, and systems strengthening to ensure 24-hour maternal and newborn care.
Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby described the facility as central to the government’s healthcare transformation agenda. He noted that investment in Kono District is aimed at addressing limited access to quality obstetric and emergency delivery services.
Health officials said the new center is designed to provide both routine and emergency obstetric care within the district, reducing the need for pregnant women to travel long distances to access specialized services.
The ministry emphasized that improving access to skilled birth attendance and surgical obstetric care is critical to reducing maternal mortality.
The government’s efforts are supported by several international partners, including the World Health Organization, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, United Nations Population Fund and UNICEF Sierra Leone. These partners provide technical and financial support to strengthen the country’s broader health system.
The Paul E. Farmer Maternal Center of Excellence is expected to serve women across Kono District by offering safe deliveries, surgical obstetric care, and respectful maternity services.
Health authorities say the facility forms part of a wider strategy to build resilient health systems and improve maternal and newborn survival outcomes nationwide.
With 13 healthy babies delivered on its first day and no reported complications, the Ministry of Health says the center’s launch signals a practical step toward expanding access to quality maternal healthcare in Sierra Leone.
