The Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, has engaged China’s National Health Commission to explore opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation on healthcare infrastructure and public health preparedness.
The meeting, held on the margins of the Traditional Medicine Conference, brought together Dr. Demby, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mustapha Kabba, and Mr. Zeng Yixin, Vice Minister of China’s National Health Commission, alongside representatives of key Chinese institutions.
A key priority the Minister raised was the proposed upgrade of the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital in Jui. Recognising the hospital’s importance in providing essential healthcare services to families in Jui and surrounding communities, Dr. Demby called for China’s support to improve the facility’s infrastructure and equipment. The proposed upgrade aims to strengthen the hospital’s capacity to support healthcare professionals and respond more effectively to the needs of patients, including mothers, children and other vulnerable groups.
The Minister also requested China’s support for the construction of a permanent complex for the National Public Health Agency (NPHA) at Kerry Town. Drawing on the lessons of the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, the proposal underscores Sierra Leone’s commitment to building stronger public health institutions, enhancing disease surveillance and ensuring that health workers have the facilities and resources required to prepare for and respond to future public health emergencies.
The discussions were attended by representatives from the Department of International Cooperation of China’s National Health Commission, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the All-China Women’s Federation, reflecting the broad institutional engagement supporting health cooperation between the two countries.
Minister Demby described the Sierra Leone- China Friendship Hospital as “a living symbol of the friendship between our two countries,” highlighting the importance of sustaining and strengthening this partnership for the benefit of both nations.
For the Ministry of Health, these engagements go beyond diplomatic discussions. They represent efforts to secure stronger healthcare infrastructure, better working conditions for health professionals, and improved access to quality services for the people of Sierra Leone. By pursuing cooperation to upgrade the Friendship Hospital and strengthen the NPHA’s institutional capacity.
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