Orange Sierra Leone, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, has officially commissioned a NLe1.8 million ultra-modern ten-room health centre in Wai Community, Sorogbema Chiefdom, Pujehun District, marking a major milestone in the drive to improve access to quality healthcare services in rural Sierra Leone.
The facility, which was officially inaugurated on March 28, 2026, is expected to significantly transform healthcare delivery in Wai and surrounding communities, where residents have for years grappled with limited access to essential medical services due to distance, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient resources.
The commissioning ceremony was officiated by the Deputy Minister of Health I, Dr. Charles Senesie, alongside Orange Sierra Leone Chief Executive Officer, Madam Aïcha Touré, in the presence of the Paramount Chief, local authorities, traditional leaders, and hundreds of community residents who turned out to witness the historic event.
Delivering the opening remarks, Orange Sierra Leone’s Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, Mohamed Santos Bangura, gave a detailed overview of the project, tracing its journey from the groundbreaking ceremony held on April 17, 2025, to its successful completion.
He described the commissioning as a landmark achievement that reflects Orange Sierra Leone’s unwavering commitment to impactful social investment and sustainable national development.
According to Bangura, the new health centre is specifically designed to address critical gaps in rural healthcare delivery, with a strong focus on maternal and child health services.
He emphasized that the expansion of life-saving healthcare services in Wai would play a vital role in reducing preventable illnesses while contributing significantly to the reduction of maternal and child mortality rates in Pujehun District.
The Paramount Chief of Sorogbema Chiefdom, Mustapha Jeangay Massaquoi III, expressed profound appreciation to Orange Sierra Leone for what he described as a timely and transformative intervention.
He assured all stakeholders that the chiefdom would take full ownership of the facility, ensuring proper maintenance, protection, and effective monitoring so that it continues to serve both present and future generations.
Speaking during the commissioning, Orange Sierra Leone CEO Madam Aïcha Touré reaffirmed the company’s dedication to community wellbeing and national development, noting that the health centre was deliberately designed to respond to the urgent healthcare needs of Wai and neighbouring communities.
She disclosed that the ten-room facility is equipped with a labour ward and other essential medical infrastructure, enabling it to provide a broad range of healthcare services including maternal and child health care, outpatient consultations, emergency response, and basic diagnostic services.
Madam Touré further highlighted that the initiative aligns with the Orange Foundation’s maternal mortality reduction programme, under which the Wai facility will continue to benefit from targeted interventions aimed at improving outcomes for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and newborns.
In his keynote address, the Deputy Minister of Health I, Dr. Charles Senesie, commended Orange Sierra Leone for complementing Government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare systems across the country.
He noted that the project fits squarely within the Ministry’s broader strategy of expanding access to quality healthcare, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach rural communities.
Dr. Senesie also announced that the former Wai Maternal and Child Health Post (MCHP) has now been officially upgraded to a fully equipped Community Health Centre (CHC), a development expected to significantly improve service delivery capacity and save more lives in the district.
The ceremony also featured remarks from philanthropist Mr. Salim Feika, one of the key contributors to the project, who expressed appreciation to all partners involved, including the Ministry of Health, the District Health Management Team, Orange Sierra Leone, and local authorities.
As part of his contribution, Mr. Feika donated two large waste disposal containers, chairs, and a motorbike to improve sanitation management and strengthen emergency response capabilities at the health facility.
He further appealed to stakeholders and development partners to support additional priority needs, including the construction of staff quarters, the provision of an ambulance, and continued capacity-building for healthcare workers, all aimed at ensuring efficient and sustainable service delivery.
In his closing remarks, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Liberia, Eddie Sidikie Mansaray, urged residents of Wai and surrounding communities to take full ownership of the facility by utilizing its services responsibly and supporting healthcare workers in maintaining high standards of care.
The well-attended commissioning ceremony brought together government officials, traditional leaders, development partners, health professionals, and community members, and concluded with the formal handover of the health centre to the Wai community and the people of Sorogbema Chiefdom.
With support from the Orange Foundation, the Wai Community Health Centre is now expected to significantly improve healthcare access, strengthen maternal and child health services, and contribute meaningfully to Sierra Leone’s ongoing national efforts to reduce mortality rates and improve public health outcomes in rural communities.
