In a significant development for healthcare in Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio has initiated the construction of the Jembe Regional Hospital by presenting a cheque of 5 million Leones to landowners in Jembe. The facility will be located along the Bo/Kenema highway and is expected to transform the area into a medical hub with a hospital, medical school, pharmacy school, and nursing school.
The hospital is designed to serve around 1,000 patients daily and aims to improve access to healthcare while reducing government spending on overseas treatments. Ambassador Tamba Lamina expressed gratitude towards President Bio's commitment to national development during the groundbreaking ceremony. "Thank you, Mr. President, for prioritizing the people of Jembe and Sierra Leone," he said.
Paramount Chief Alfred Demby highlighted the chiefdom's decision to allocate land for the project, while Councillor Maada Bundu emphasized their unconditional support for development. Dr. Prince Harding commended President Bio’s inclusive leadership.
Minister of Health and Sanitation Dr. Austin Demby noted that the hospital's central location would benefit both Kenema and Bo districts. He stated, "This hospital represents a bold vision for healthcare in Sierra Leone."
President Bio emphasized the project's transformative potential and hinted at broader infrastructural plans including an international airport and railway services revival. He stressed education's role in national development: "We want our children to achieve more than we have."
The ceremony marked a unified commitment towards progress in Sierra Leone.