By Kadrie Koroma
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation, DFID and UNFPA has handed over the Project Plan for the construction of a 100 beds ultra-modern hospital at the Rokupa Government Hospital east end of Freetown to the construction company, Regimanuel Gray Sierra Leone Limited.
Handing over of the Project Plan to the Contractor L-R: Dr. Kim Eva Dickson,
Desmond Woode, Dr. A.B. Fofanah and Mary Margdalene Mensah
The project which is estimated at $1.4 million was funded by DFID through UNFPA.
The projected when completed will serve the Wellington-Kissy communities and its environs and will ease patients going to Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) and Connaught.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony on Saturday July 8, 2017, the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Abu Bakarr Fofanah said the Rokupa Satellite Clinic was a Peripheral Health Unit built alongside Kingharman Road, Macauley Street and Lumley Clinics several years ago to cater for a small catchment population.
Health and Sanitation Minister, Dr. Abu Bakarr Fofanah
He informed his audience that over the years the facility has become grossly inadequate both in terms of physical space and also the range of services, and there was a compelling need for the government to change the situation for improvement. He added that it was against the background that the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma advocated to partners for support, and one of them to listen to the clarion call was DFID who came to support through UNFPA.
The Minister reiterated that the hospital when completed will be a huge transition from a Peripheral Health Unit to the level of a district hospital.
In her remarks, UNFPA Country Representative, Dr. Kim Eva Dickson said her organization strongly believes that every pregnancy is wanted and every young person needs to have full potential.
She said what they are supporting is to really upgrade the hospital to a standard of a Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Health Care hospital so that all obstetric emergencies would be catered for and an entering point for mothers and children.
The DFID Policy Advisor, Desmond Woode said the project is a continued demonstration of UK’s support for the government Presidential Priorities including health and other areas.
The Country Manager, Regimanuel Gray Sierra Leone Limited, Mary Margdalene Mensah said her company has been in existence for 25 years but are new in Sierra Leone.
She assured the three institutions to count on them as they are going to deliver to the best of their knowledge.
Handing over of the project plan by the Minister, DFID and UNFPA to the contractor formed high point of the ceremony.
