Health Ministry Reopens Gbondapi Health Centre, Expands Maternal Healthcare Access for 14 Communities
Aminata Koroma The Ministry of Health has strengthened access to maternal and newborn healthcare in hard-to-reach communities in Pujehun District following the commissioning of the newly rehabilitated Gbondapi Community Health Centre by Health Minister Dr Austin Demby.
The upgraded Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) facility is expected to serve more than 9,067 people across 14 communities in Pujehun and neighbouring Bonthe District, providing improved access to essential maternal and newborn healthcare services, particularly for riverine communities.
The rehabilitation was undertaken through the Ministry’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Project following years of infrastructural challenges at the facility.
The improvements include expanded labour and delivery rooms, modern toilets and showers, solar-powered electricity, air-conditioning, improved drainage and paved surroundings. The centre is also equipped with four delivery beds, nine postnatal beds, three birth-waiting-home spaces, two ultrasound scanners, two oxygen concentrators, two pulse oximeters and other essential medical equipment.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mustapha Kabba said the government remained committed to strengthening primary healthcare and ensuring that health facilities were properly equipped to deliver quality services.
He stressed that improved infrastructure must be supported by qualified healthcare workers, functional ambulance and referral systems, proper equipment maintenance and active community participation. He also encouraged residents and local leaders to take ownership of the facility.
In his keynote address, Dr Demby highlighted the importance of reliable electricity, water supply, laboratory and ultrasound services in improving maternal and newborn healthcare.
He urged healthcare workers to uphold professionalism and compassion, while encouraging pregnant women to seek early antenatal care, deliver in health facilities and access timely referrals when complications arise.
The Minister also disclosed plans for a proposed 100-bed hospital approximately five kilometres from Gbondapi, describing it as a potential future investment to strengthen healthcare delivery in the area, subject to further engagement.
Statistics from October 2025 to September 2026 show that the health centre recorded 379 facility deliveries, representing 101 per cent of its target. It also registered 401 first antenatal care visits and 364 fourth antenatal care visits.
The Ministry identified staff accommodation and the pin-coding of eligible healthcare workers as key priorities to ensure sustained operations and continuous access to skilled healthcare services.
The commissioning forms part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to strengthen primary healthcare and advance the 300-Days Activism for Triple Zero, targeting zero preventable maternal deaths, zero preventable child deaths and reaching zero-dose children.