By Mohamed Lamin Turay
MORIBA TOWN, IMPERIE CHIEFDOM — The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Chairman, Jimmy Batilo Songa, has officially commissioned a modern health facility in Moriba Town, bringing critical healthcare services to the heart of the Rutile community.
The commissioning ceremony was marked by jubilant celebrations, with drums and singing echoing through the town as residents welcomed the long-awaited facility. The center, equipped with 24-hour solar-powered electricity, clean water, and WASH amenities, is designed to serve mothers, children, and elderly residents who previously endured long journeys to Mattru for medical care.
“This is more than just bricks and mortar—it is a lifeline,” said Hon. Fatmata Bintu Bockarie, Member of Parliament for the Southern Region, whose intervention made the project possible. Built with support from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the facility includes a maternity ward, consultation rooms, a dispensary, and a basic laboratory for rapid testing.
For Salamatu Ndanema, a mother of three, the new center is a blessing. “I used to walk for over an hour with my sick child just to reach the nearest clinic. Now, help is right here in our community. This will save lives,” she said.
Chief Leslie Tucker Thomas, Regent Chief of Imperie Chiefdom, described the facility as a symbol of hope, while community elder Chief Alpha Massaquoi emphasized its deeper meaning. “This is dignity restored. As a community, we will maintain this facility. It is ours,” he said.
Hon. Bockarie reaffirmed her commitment to rural development, stating that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. She urged continued efforts to ensure that no Sierra Leonean is left behind in accessing quality care.
SLPP Chairman Jimmy Batilo Songa praised the Church for its support and commended Hon. Bockarie’s selfless leadership. He expressed the party’s readiness to partner with faith-based organizations to expand healthcare access across the country.
Representatives from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Ministry of Health echoed these sentiments, noting that the facility will ease pressure on overstretched hospitals in nearby towns. They emphasized the importance of maintaining drug supplies, retaining qualified staff, and securing long-term funding through partnerships with district health authorities.
The opening of the Moriba Town health facility marks a significant step forward in Sierra Leone’s efforts to strengthen rural healthcare and improve community well-being.