Bo, 13 February 2023 – The World Health Organization Country Office in Sierra Leone has swiftly responded to a call by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to replenish medical supplies at the Bo Government Regional Hospital following an emergency response by the hospital team to a mass casualty incident that depleted the routine stockpile of medical supplies of the hospital. The incident, involved over 400 school children mostly girls who were injured when a railing collapsed at the Bo Mini Stadium where thousands of them had gathered to witness an event for free sanitary pad distribution for school girls.

According to Dr Innocent Nuwagira, WHO Representative in Sierra Leone, the consignment with a worth of approximately US$ 50 000 including medicines and other medical consumables “is to facilitate uninterrupted routine service delivery at the hospital in the immediate aftermath of the 2 February 2023 incident”.

“The level of capacity demonstrated by the Bo health team to efficiently manage the medical emergency of such many injured children from the accident is reassuring. It clearly demonstrated improved capacity and a resilient health system. WHO will continue to support the government of Sierra Leone to ensure we have the same level of proficiency in every major hospital, to  promptly manage emergencies whenever they occur”, Dr Nuwagira added. 

The consignment was delivered to the Minister of Health and Sanitation at the hospital with the participation of the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, the district health management and hospital management and staff, traditional leaders, and the civil society. All the key speakers at the event expressed their appreciation to WHO for its timely response and continuous assistance in strengthening health service delivery in the country.

“Firstly, we say thank you to our competent health workers for proving that our system can work well during normal times and also functions effectively during shocks like the one we have just witnessed. We also say thank you to WHO for always been a reliable partner in supporting the work of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation”, says Dr Austin Demby, Minister of Health and Sanitation. He likened the donation by WHO to a “reward to the hospital staff for their good work”.

WHO is playing significant role in Sierra Leone’s health sector and is working closely with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and other health development partners in strengthening the country’s capacity for improved quality of routine healthcare service delivery as well as improved capacity to robustly respond to significant public health events and emergencies by proving trainings, coordinating health sector partners and mobilizing required resources.