Concord Times (Freetown)
Rachel Horner
6 June 2008
Freetown — A four-man delegation from Sierra Leone is currently in Shangsha city, Hunan Province in China as guests of the Hunan Architectural Design Institute.
The objective of the visit is to review a design of an ultra modern hospital to be constructed nearby the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences campus at Kossoh Town, Hastings in Freetown.
The project was as a result of a memorandum of understanding signed in Freetown by the government of Sierra Leone and the Chinese government.
The hospital will have 100 beds, a hostel for the Chinese medical team, an equipment room, laboratory, theatres, a dialysis and intensive care units, surgical and medical departments, mortuary, a funeral parlour, X-Ray department among other facilities.
Zhao Min, director general of international department introduced the project to the Sierra Leonean delegation while the hospital will be constructed in conformity with China's infrastructural standard.
Min lauded the minister of health and sanitation Dr. Soccoh Kabia and the government of Sierra Leone for the cooperation they have so far received in fast tracking the construction of the project.
He said the proposed construction site has been geographically designed free from any natural disaster, adding that the two storey hospital building would be rectangular shaped with a functional motor-way, a security post, an administrative building, boundary walls, two 400 KVA generators, a canteen, kitchen and other important components.
Head of the delegation Edward Bai Kamara thanked the Chinese government for the continued assistance they have provided to Sierra Leone.
Kamara who also doubles as senior permanent secretary described Chinese gestures to the country as an invaluable treasure both in the area of human resource and infrastructural development.
He outlined the construction of the Youyi Building, National Stadium, Police Headquarters, the Mange Bridge linking Sierra Leone and Guinea, among others as part of China's great works to the country's development processes.
Kamara registered the government and people of Sierra Leone sympathy for the earthquake that claimed the lives of over five million people.
The delegation comprised the Senior Permanent Secretary and head of delegation Edward Bai Kamara who represented minister of health, the deputy architecture manager, Victor Milton, head of surgery, Connaught Hospital, Dr. Thaim Buya Kamara, representing the director of hospital and clinical services and the public relations officer, Jonathan Abass Kamara.
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The Chinese have done a great deal in Sierra leone, the thing about them is the fact that they also participate in the physical work of most of the projects that they embark on in the country.
Sierra Leone need hospitals. Well done to them.
The Chinese have always played a major role in the development of Sierra Leone and building a 100 bed hospital in the city is a continuation of their much needed service to Sierra Leone. Every little step count because it will ultimately accumulate to giant steps.Keep up the good work China. Nanah Sesay U.S.A.
What is wrong with our so called Democratic Government of Sierra Leone. Did the government actually did a feasibility study for the 100 bed hospital to be built in Freetown. We need something better than the 100 bed chicken house hospital to be constructed by the Chinese. I am not proud of this rubbish. Are we destined to eat the crumps from the master's table?. We are so crazy about China these days that, Africa, especially Sierra Leone is selling off its resources so cheap to China for a 100 bed chicken house hospital. Is this hospital for humans or for Chinese dogs?. This type of image is not good for our country. This is just another hopeless scam by the Chinese government in collaboration with some government officials to get cuts and brides and open doors for the Chinese to exploit our resources cheaply. We need a 500 bed hospital in every province of the country as a start. It is not the impossible.If China cannot do it, please contact our qualified Sierra Leonean Engineers and Architects, Japan, England, USA, Germany or Italy. Stop asking or begging for too little. The popularion of Sierra Leone is over 5 million. Sierra Leone have Engineers and Architects that are capable of building 500 bed hospital in every province in Sierra Leone. We need honesty, transparency and good planning with a goodleadership. Why Sierra Leoneans always like to belittled themselves. If the Chinese cannot built us bigger, well equipped and sophisticated hospitals, then kick them out and bring in help from other countries. We have the resources. We need to freeze the hands of Lebanese traders off our resources as a major step before we can realized the wealth of the country or else we still have sad days ahead. Let's nobody fool the people of Sierra Leone. Please I am recommending that, the Sierra Leone government especially, the Minister of Health to visit the John F. Kennedy hospital and the Maternity hospital both located on the same groud in Monrovia, Liberia as an ice breaker for him. please try to take giant steps. The colonial days are gone. Borborgandae kabakaba Tucker