By George M.O. Williams
FREETOWN, Sept. 29, 2026: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with support from the United Kingdom Government through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), has donated medical equipment worth approximately £32,000 to help restore the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at Makeni Regional Hospital following a devastating fire that destroyed the facility.
The handover ceremony took place on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at the Directorate of Reproductive and Child Health in Freetown.
The equipment is expected to strengthen specialized care for premature, low-birth-weight and critically ill newborns in the Northern Region, restoring a critical service that was disrupted after the fire damaged the hospital’s neonatal care unit.
Speaking at the event, UNICEF Representative Mariko Kagoshima described the intervention as a significant step toward restoring lifesaving care for vulnerable newborns and ensuring families in the region can once again access specialized treatment closer to home.
She noted that the UK-supported assistance marks the 17th Special Care Baby Unit established under the UNICEF-UK partnership, reflecting sustained investment in Sierra Leone’s newborn healthcare system.
Kagoshima revealed that Sierra Leone had only four Special Care Baby Units in 2017, but the number has now increased to 17 facilities across 14 of the country’s 16 districts.
She further disclosed that annual admissions of small and sick newborns have risen from just over 1,000 in 2017 to more than 14,000, while survival rates among babies admitted to SCBUs have improved from approximately 78 percent to 90 percent.
According to Kagoshima, the gains demonstrate the impact of continued investment in specialized newborn healthcare. However, she emphasized that equipment alone would not save lives.
“The impact of this equipment depends on trained and motivated health workers, reliable oxygen and power supply, essential medicines, proper maintenance, strong clinical practices and effective leadership,” she said.
She reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to working with the Ministry of Health and partners to ensure the rapid deployment and effective use of the equipment so that the Makeni SCBU can resume full operations as quickly as possible.
Representing the UK Government, Alex Maclean, Development Director at the British High Commission, said the donation forms part of broader UK support aimed at strengthening Sierra Leone’s healthcare system.
Maclean said the partnership extends beyond the supply of medical equipment, highlighting UK support for training nurses and other healthcare workers to improve the quality of care for newborns.
He added that the initiative seeks to improve survival rates among premature babies while enhancing the capacity of health facilities to provide specialized neonatal care.
The Makeni Special Care Baby Unit was destroyed by fire, leaving the regional hospital without a critical facility for the treatment of premature and critically ill infants. Following an assessment of the damage, replacement equipment was identified and procured through UK support.
Receiving the donation, Deputy Minister of Health I, Dr. Charles Senesie, described the intervention as timely and important to the government’s efforts to improve newborn health outcomes and reduce child mortality.
He said the Ministry of Health is pursuing innovative healthcare interventions and implementing activities under the government’s 300-Day Programme to accelerate improvements in maternal and child health services.
Dr. Senesie stressed that investments in newborn and child healthcare are vital not only for saving lives but also for strengthening human capital development by giving children the opportunity to survive, thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development.