By Foday Moriba Conteh
On the 22nd January 2021 the Mayor of the Freetown City Council (FCC), Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, commissioned a project to upgrade two peripheral health units (PHUs) – Grey Bush becomes a Basic Emergency Maternal Obstetric Natal Care (BEMONC) and Ross Road, an existing BEMONC will be expanded.
The project will help relieve the pressure on major maternal and new-born hospitals at a time when COVID-19 continues to strain the full range of Freetown’s Health sector.
Upgrading the PHU to a BEMONC and improving the existing BEMONC will involve;Increasing beds for maternal/postnatal care, making separate rooms or designated spaces available for maternal and new-born health services, provisions for uninterrupted power and water supply, improving infrastructure in wards – sufficient lights, fittings, toilets, baths, laundry facilities.
During her visit to the PHUs , Mayor Aki-Sawyerr noted that PHUs are critical in providing health care services for some of the most vulnerable residents and emphasized that they must meet minimum operating standards to provide maternal care. She also encouraged healthcare staff to keep the surroundings of health facilities clean as good health cannot be achieved without adequate sanitation.
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr handed over the sites to the contractors in the presence of health facility staff, Ward stakeholders and representatives of CRS. The health facilities are expected to be completed within 3 months and the project will contribute to FCC’s #TransformFreetown target to reduce maternal mortality in Freetown by 40%. Three additional PHUs will be rehabilitated and upgraded to BEMONCs this year.
This FCC Project is funded by the European Union as part of the #EUStandsWithSalone support to the Council’s COVID-19 response and it is being implemented by Catholic Relief Services.
