Health Ministry Delegation Visits India to Strengthen Hospital Equipment Management
Alusine Ahmed Kargbo The Ministry of Health has taken a significant step toward strengthening Sierra Leone’s hospital equipment systems and biomedical engineering capacity through a high-level visit to India.
Led by the Director of Hospital and Ambulance Services, Mr. Ibrahim Foday-Musa, the five-day mission is focused on improving the management, functionality and sustainability of medical equipment across the country’s health facilities, in line with the National Hospital Strategy.
The delegation includes key technical and procurement officials: Biomedical Engineering Consultant Dr. Dinsie Williams; Managing Director of the National Medical Supplies Agency (NMSA), Madam Jatu Josephine Abdulai; Director of Procurement at NMSA, Mr. Thomas Bernard Aruna; and a representative from JSS Medical Distributors (SL), Mr. Siv Akumar Jay Arjan.
During the visit, the delegation engaged with Allengers Medical Systems Limited in Chandigarh, where they conducted a factory acceptance test and held technical discussions with the company’s engineering team. The engagement focused on evaluating equipment quality, understanding manufacturing and quality-control processes, and assessing operational standards before potential deployment in Sierra Leone.
The Ministry emphasized the importance of ensuring that medical equipment procured for public hospitals meets required safety, performance and durability standards. Discussions also covered equipment maintenance, servicing systems, spare-parts availability and lifecycle management, all of which are critical to reducing downtime and improving service delivery in health facilities.
In addition, the visit explored opportunities for strengthening biomedical engineering training. The Ministry aims to build local technical expertise by establishing partnerships that will support skills transfer and continuous professional development for Sierra Leonean biomedical personnel.
Allengers Medical Systems Limited, established in 1987, manufactures a wide range of diagnostic and imaging equipment and supplies to over 100 countries. Its operations comply with international quality and regulatory standards, making it a key partner in discussions on equipment reliability and safety.
The Ministry of Health noted that the visit forms part of broader efforts to align infrastructure investments with the necessary technical systems and human capacity required to sustain them. Strengthening supplier relationships and verifying equipment standards prior to delivery are expected to enhance accountability and ensure value for money in public health investments.
Through this engagement, the Ministry reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that hospital equipment across Sierra Leone remains functional, safe and capable of supporting quality healthcare delivery.