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The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has launched an initial assessment into the damage faced by key infrastructure that provides both healthcare services and nursing education.
It was carried out in response to reports of a terrible windstorm that damaged the Nixon Methodist Hospital on April 19, 2025, in Segbwema, Kailahun District.
According to reports, the hospital houses a branch of the Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone (ETU-SL) Nursing Training School. This building experienced considerable structural damage, and the windstorm is claimed to have entirely unroofed the single functional storey building utilized as a student hostel.
The lecture theater, portions of the maternity unit, and the hospital’s surrounding fence were all largely destroyed. According to the NDMA assessment, the nursing school now has 180 students enrolled in different kinds of health-related disciplines.
Fortunately, the incident happened when kids were away on Easter vacation, preventing a possibly tragic ending. However, the damage now threatens to interrupt study and accommodation of students as they are expected to return home right after the holiday break.
The University’s Registrar, Mr. John Juana, expressed great concern over the impact of that incident and called for immediate action to restore the impacted facilities, through a formal letter to the MDMA.
“This is a complete setback not only for the hospital and its patients but also for the nursing students and the continued operations of the university at this location,”Registrar said.
The NDMA assessment team has documented the scope of the damage and is compiling its findings to guide the next steps in consultation with key authorities and stakeholders.
The Agency is said to be still dedicated to collaborating with partners to mobilize help for the repair of the affected hospital infrastructure and the rapid resumption of academic activities at the Nursing School.
