By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
A major milestone in Sierra Leone’s healthcare transformation was recorded on Thursday, 2 April 2026, as President Julius Maada Bio officially commissioned a state-of-the-art Burns Unit and advanced diagnostic facilities at Connaught Government Hospital in Freetown. The landmark intervention, strongly supported by NP (SL) Limited in collaboration with Leoneoil Company Limited, has been widely hailed as one of the most significant private sector contributions to specialized emergency healthcare in the country.
The newly unveiled facilities include Sierra Leone’s first publicly owned advanced CT scanners, ultrasound equipment, and a fully equipped Burns Unit, all aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to diagnose and manage complex medical cases while improving emergency response for severe burn injuries.
NP (SL) has reinforced its role in national development through a major investment in healthcare infrastructure, culminating in the commissioning of a modern Burns Unit at Connaught Hospital by President Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
The commissioning ceremony underscored the growing importance of public-private partnerships in national development, with NP (SL) and Leoneoil receiving commendation for their strategic role in supporting a health intervention that is expected to save lives and improve patient recovery outcomes.
The facility, constructed through a partnership involving NP Sierra Leone, Leoneoil, Interburns, and Resurge Africa, represents the first specialized Burns Unit in Sierra Leone. The 50-bed complex includes two operating theatres, an intensive care unit, and a high dependency unit designed to serve both adults and children. Its completion addresses a long-standing gap in the country’s health system, where an estimated 40,000 burn cases are recorded annually, the majority involving children.
The investment reflects NP Sierra Leone’s expanding footprint beyond its core petroleum business into critical sectors such as health, education, and public welfare. The company financed the construction of the Burns Unit in response to systemic deficiencies exposed during the November 2021 Wellington fuel tanker explosion, when victims overwhelmed existing facilities at Connaught Hospital.
Speaking during the event, the Executive Chairman of NP (SL) Limited, Dr. Mohamed Babatunde Cole, said the Burns Unit project was inspired by the painful realities exposed by the tragic Wellington fuel tanker explosion of 5 November 2021, which claimed many lives and left dozens of Sierra Leoneans with devastating burn injuries.
According to him, the national tragedy revealed a glaring gap in Sierra Leone’s emergency medical preparedness, particularly the absence of a specialized facility dedicated to the treatment and recovery of burn victims. He noted that the collaboration between NP (SL) and Leoneoil was therefore driven by a desire to ensure that the country would never again be caught unprepared in the face of such a disaster.
Dr. Cole described the newly commissioned unit as far more than just a hospital structure, emphasizing that it represents compassion, resilience, and a commitment to national service.
“It is a place where lives will be saved, where recovery will begin, and where hope will be restored,” he stated.
His remarks placed NP (SL) and Leoneoil at the center of a transformative intervention, demonstrating the companies’ commitment not only to energy and petroleum services but also to impactful corporate social responsibility that directly addresses urgent national needs.
Chief Executive Officer of NP (SL), Dr. Ing. Mohamed S. Kanu, said the company’s intervention was guided by the need to provide sustainable solutions to national challenges. He noted that the absence of a dedicated Burns facility at the time of the disaster underscored the urgency for private sector participation in strengthening healthcare delivery.
He described the project as part of NP’s broader corporate social responsibility framework, which prioritizes tangible and high-impact interventions. Over the years, the company has delivered a range of projects including solar-powered boreholes, sanitation facilities, rehabilitation of school infrastructure, and recreational facilities for the military. These initiatives, he said, are financed from company profits as a deliberate effort to reinvest in national development.
NP’s contribution to the Burns Unit forms part of a wider pattern of infrastructure support highlighted at the commissioning. Speaking on behalf of project partners, Tunde Cole emphasized that the initiative demonstrated the capacity of Sierra Leonean institutions to address national problems through collaboration and long-term planning. He said the facility stands as a functional response to recurring healthcare challenges rather than a symbolic gesture.
He noted that NP and its partners had consistently invested in social infrastructure, including the construction of the Aberdeen Women’s Clinic, support to security sector education, and provision of water facilities to improve fire response capacity. The Burns Unit, he said, represents a continuation of this approach, focusing on resilience and preparedness within the health sector.
In the keynote address, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, in his address, acknowledged the role of NP Sierra Leone in advancing the country’s healthcare agenda. He emphasized that a nation’s strength is rooted in the well-being of its people, noting that investments in healthcare are essential to building a productive and resilient population. He reiterated that human capital remains Sierra Leone’s most valuable resource and stressed that healthcare must be delivered with dignity and equity.
He further stated that government is pursuing a comprehensive approach to health sector reform, integrating infrastructure, advanced technology, and skilled personnel to strengthen service delivery. He highlighted ongoing progress in reducing maternal mortality and reaffirmed the national commitment to eliminating preventable deaths, particularly among women and children.
The President also underscored the importance of accurate diagnosis in modern medicine, cautioning against reliance on presumptive treatment and pointing to the expansion of CT scan services and other diagnostic tools as critical to improving patient outcomes. He called for proper maintenance and effective use of newly installed equipment to ensure sustainability.
He urged health workers to uphold professionalism and compassion, stressing that public health facilities belong to the people and must be managed responsibly to deliver quality care.
President Bio, while commissioning the facilities, praised healthcare workers, development partners, and private sector collaborators for their shared commitment to strengthening Sierra Leone’s health sector. He described the new installations as a significant leap forward in the government’s drive toward a people-centered and resilient healthcare system.
The President stressed that the health of citizens remains central to his administration’s human capital development agenda, noting that improved diagnostic tools and specialized treatment units are critical to better health outcomes nationwide. He also urged health professionals and the general public to ensure the proper maintenance and protection of the new facilities so they can continue to serve generations of Sierra Leoneans.
Senior Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Andrew Sorie, described the event as another clear example of the administration’s strong leadership in leveraging global and local partnerships to transform healthcare infrastructure.
Medical Superintendent of Connaught Hospital, Dr. I.M. Kapuwa, welcomed the President and applauded the support from NP (SL) and Leoneoil, noting that the intervention would significantly improve the hospital’s capacity to respond to critical burn and trauma cases.
Also speaking at the event, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Musa Kabba explained that the memory of the Wellington disaster remained a key driving force behind the establishment of the unit. He said the new facility reflects Sierra Leone’s shift from reactive emergency care to a more prepared and responsive healthcare delivery system.
Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby further described the commissioning as a historic step in improving both diagnostic capability and emergency care services, emphasizing that the CT scanners, ultrasound equipment, and Burns treatment facility will greatly enhance service delivery and patient outcomes.
Minister of Health Austin Demby described the partnership as a model for effective public-private collaboration. He stated that the Burns Unit, alongside newly installed CT scan and ultrasound machines, would significantly improve clinical outcomes, reduce referrals abroad, and enhance confidence in the national health system.
He credited NP Sierra Leone and its partners for demonstrating national responsibility through direct investment in life-saving infrastructure. The facility, he added, will also serve as a training ground for medical professionals, contributing to long-term capacity building within the sector.
For NP (SL) Limited and Leoneoil Company Limited, the project stands as a powerful symbol of how indigenous private sector institutions can complement government efforts in delivering sustainable national development. Their intervention has not only strengthened emergency healthcare capacity but has also set a strong example of corporate leadership rooted in patriotism and social responsibility.
The commissioning of the Burns Unit and advanced diagnostic equipment therefore marks a defining moment in Sierra Leone’s health sector reform journey—one in which NP (SL) and Leoneoil have firmly positioned themselves as key partners in saving lives, restoring hope, and building a stronger healthcare future for the nation.
The commissioning marks a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s transition toward improved healthcare delivery, with NP Sierra Leone positioned as a key driver of development through sustained investment in public infrastructure.
