Connaught Hospital Set for Major Surgical Infrastructure Upgrade
Sia Lucy Kannah Connaught Hospital is set for a major surgical infrastructure upgrade as Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health, through the Directorate of Hospital and Ambulance Services (DHAS), advances plans to improve the hospital’s Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) and main Operating Theatre Complex.
The upgrade is being pursued in partnership with international charity Mercy Ships and the leadership of Connaught Hospital, with stakeholders working to coordinate the implementation of the two projects.
During a high-level coordination meeting at the Ministry of Health, stakeholders reviewed plans for the construction of a new CSSD facility and the comprehensive renovation of the hospital’s main Operating Theatre Complex.
The meeting focused on aligning the scope and implementation of both projects to ensure they are properly integrated while minimising disruption to essential surgical services.
Mercy Ships representatives presented an update on the CSSD project, which has progressed from the initial concept and schematic stages to detailed technical design.
Assessments of the existing surgical complex identified structural challenges, including water ingress, roof damage and drainage failures. In response, project planners opted for a prefabricated external facility for the new CSSD.
Stakeholders also agreed that the renovation of the Operating Theatre Complex will be guided by preliminary findings from the Building Health Institutions (BHI) assessment. Clinical input will inform the design, with attention to patient movement, sterile zones, equipment placement and surgical workflows.
Addressing the meeting virtually from India, Director of Hospital and Ambulance Services Ibrahim Foday-Musa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to developing an integrated and modern surgical facility at Connaught Hospital.
“We must work from a common agenda, a common goal, and a shared understanding of the project scope to deliver a safer facility for our patients,” Foday-Musa said.
The meeting concluded with plans to establish a joint activity tracker, clarify funding and procurement responsibilities, and determine whether construction works for the CSSD and Operating Theatre Complex can be carried out concurrently within a single closure period.
Once completed, the projects are expected to strengthen infection prevention, improve surgical safety and enhance the capacity of Connaught Hospital, Sierra Leone’s main referral hospital.
