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The residents of Kamakwie, headquarter town of Karene District in north-west Sierra Leone, have called on the government to urgently deploy at least two medical doctors to serve the area’s main referral hospital.
The appeal was made during a two-day government Town Hall engagement held in Kamakwie, where citizens were invited to raise concerns and question officials on issues affecting their communities. The event drew local authorities and a large cross-section of the public.
Speaking on behalf of community members, one attendee highlighted the persistent challenges residents face in accessing quality healthcare. He noted that Kamakwie Hospital, being the largest referral facility in the district, is in dire need of at least two qualified medical doctors to adequately serve the growing population.
In the absence of the Minister of Health, the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, responded to health-related concerns. He reassured residents of the government’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare system nationwide and promised to relay all concerns raised to the Health Ministry.
Addressing education-related issues, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Ramatulai Wurie, announced revisions to the Sierra Leone Grant-in-Aid (SLG) policy. She explained that the updated policy now prioritizes female students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) courses, as well as persons with disabilities and vulnerable children.
Dr. Wurie further disclosed that, due to financial constraints previously encountered by the government in funding beneficiaries, the SLG scheme will now focus primarily on Master’s and PhD students. However, she noted that plans are underway to eventually extend support to undergraduate students.
On economic matters, Minister of Trade and Industry, Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, assured residents of the availability of fuel across the country despite the ongoing global fuel crisis, which he attributed to the conflict in the Middle East. He revealed that the government currently subsidizes fuel by six Leones per litre, amounting to approximately $2.6 million monthly.
Minister Sesay also highlighted ongoing infrastructure efforts, including secured funding for the construction of two bridges and plans to mobilize resources for road development projects in Karene District, particularly the Makeni-Kamakwie highway.
The Town Hall engagement forms part of the government’s broader effort to enhance civic participation and ensure that citizens’ concerns are directly communicated to policymakers.
