State House, Freetown, Monday 27 August 2018 – His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has visited the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH-Cottage), unannounced, to check on conditions of patients and see if health workers comply with the 8:30 am report time.
During his tour of the facilities, which is housing the Ola During Children’s Hospital at Fourah Bay Road in the east of Freetown, the President noticed that one of the matrons was not on her seat long after the clock-in time for all public workers. He interrogated the Doctor-in-Charge on the possible reason for her absence and asked that she be reprimanded and urgent actions be taken to enforce the recent measures for all government workers.
Speaking shortly after the inspection, President Bio expressed his dissatisfaction over conditions at the hospital, saying that the facility was overcrowded and hygiene situation needed urgent attention. He, however, also thanked health workers present for their patriotic work and recognised them for turning up for work on time.
“In terms of turnout for personnel, we must be happy because I met the Doctor and most of the other senior staff on time. With the exception of very few that I did not meet for which I have left warnings, we must congratulate them for their hard work. We will challenge them that everyone is in their office by 8:30 am because if we want to bring change we must start it with how we manage time,” he said.
On the deplorable state of the health facilities, President Bio added that: “What I am not pleased with is that this place, where people give birth to children is not conducive. I have heard a lot about it and that is why I have decided to come and see for myself and definitely, this facility is not enough for the women who come here to deliver. I have seen it and it is now the business of government to see where we can improve and help save the lives of our compatriots,” he said.
Doctor-in-Charge, A.V Koroma thanked the President for the visit. He said that PCMH was a big hospital and also a national referral centre that receives over two thousand patients on a monthly basis. He thanked the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for their support in terms of drugs to the centre. He said the hospital was challenged with the lack of beds to accommodate more patients and therefore called on the government to assist with more beds that would cater for a larger number of patients.
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