The new premises at the Princess Christian Maternal Hospital (PCMH) were handed over by CUAMM Director General to the Minister of Health. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place yesterday in Freetown.
«We hold CUAMM in high esteem because it is an honest and reliable partner that assists the Ministry of Health in the effort to reduce maternal mortality, with a clear vision and alignment with the national strategy» stated Dr. Austin Demby, Minister of Health.
The Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) is Sierra Leone’s main referral hospital for maternal health. The facility, covering both the urban and rural areas of Freetown, serves a population of over 1.3 million people. In 2023, it conducted more than 16,000 outpatient visits and 8,000 deliveries. Here, CUAMM is currently working to improve the overall quality of care provided to women during pregnancy, especially those with obstetric complications before and after childbirth.
One of the main issues affecting the quality of services is the deteriorating and outdated state of the buildings, worsened by nearly 100 years of operation. To meet the new demands of the facility and ensure quality care for an increasing number of patients, Doctors with Africa CUAMM supported the rehabilitation and expansion of the premises, thanks to the support of Leoncini s.r.l. The intervention involved two areas: an existing pharmacy, which was renovated and expanded, and an emergency room and outpatient department where the triage flows has been re-designed and a waiting area created. The results aim to reduce overcrowding and optimize the pathways for medical staff and patients, improving the quality of service and care.
As a result, the hospital now has a pharmacy of 175 square meters and a large emergency room of almost 400 square meters. Through the hospital’s rehabilitation, CUAMM makes a concrete contribution to the quality of medical and health services offered in the country, supporting the government of Sierra Leone in its effort to provide timely and effective care to an increasing number of patients while ensuring a more dignified and welcoming work and care environment.
«More than 9,000 women seek assistance in this hospital for an attended birth last year. We have a responsibility towards them as towards the health workers serving here. We have to provide them with instruments and good working conditions that can ensure a quality service. It is by doing so that we can meet the target of zero maternal death!» said Father Dante Carraro.
The inauguration took place exactly one year after the handover of the rehabilitated spaces at Connaught Hospital in Freetown, a tertiary-level hospital serving a population of over 1,493,252 people. Responding to the Sierra Leone government’s request, CUAMM had previously carried out the rehabilitation of the emergency and outpatient areas. This intervention was once again supported by Leoncini S.r.l., alongside the Veneto Region.
«A year ago, we inaugurated a similar rehabilitation project at Connaught Hospital, carried out by CUAMM, which the Ministry of Health and the people are now proud of; it is incredible that CUAMM has been able to replicate something similar at PCMH» said Dr. Austin Demby, Minister of Health.
