By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
Ecobank Sierra Leone has refurbished a 25-bed paediatric ward at the Connaught hospital. The children’s ward was adopted and named after a renowned paediatrician, Dr. D.J.O Robin-Coker.
In her statement, the Managing Director (MD) of Ecobank, Lucretia Aina Moore noted that 2022 marks the 10th year of the bank’s relationship with Connaught hospital through its adoption of the children’s ward, formerly called Ward One. She said in 2012 under the leadership of her predecessor, a decision was made for the bank to refurbish and adopt the children’s ward in the country’s main referral hospital.
‘’Ecobank believes that as a corporate institution, it is our responsibility not to just contribute to any project for the sake of it, but rather support a project that will touch the lives of many people and create a significant impact in the communities in which we live and work,’’ she said.
She said this year’s refurbishing costs thirty thousand dollars ($30,000), and that it was money well spent as an investment in health.
Moore said that the bank’s focus on education and health is deliberate and fully aligned with its corporate vision of investing in Africa’s future. She said, as the leading Pan African bank set up by their founding fathers, the institution was borne from a deep desire to establish the first Pan African financial institution owned by Africans, run by Africans and for Africans.
‘’Ecobank is determined and committed to the development of Africans, and dedicated to the health and wellbeing of our people which is critical in this journey,’’ she emphasized.
She pointed out that one of their critical interventions in the health sector was the rehabilitation of the specialist outpatient unit at the Ola During Children hospital, catering for children with diseases needing specialists to care. She said they have also provided significant financial support to the government of Sierra Leone towards the fight against Ebola, COVID and survivors of the mud-slide.
Chairperson of the Board of Administrators in the University of Sierra Leone (USL) Teaching Hospital, Dr. Sonia Spencer pointed out that Connaught is the main training site of the teaching hospital complex that was established by an Act of Parliament in March 2015. She said the leadership of the teaching hospital, backed by partners has been changing the ambience of the facility and improving the environment for its residency training and service delivery programmes.
She noted that a lot of external changes have been seen in the hospital, which she said is an example of what can happen when there are young patriots with the right attitude, passion and commitment to the progress of their profession. She said with more support from the government and other partners, in the form of recruitment of more trainers and provision of modern equipment, the teaching hospital will have the advantage of training and retaining specialists and consultants in the country.
‘’And I don’t see why in the next five years, we should not have at least one specialist in the regional hospitals. That will be the start of getting specialists to our district hospitals,’’ she said.
Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby in his statement pointed that the renovated children’s ward as an example of what transformation looks like. He said the government has spent six billion Leones (Le 6 billion) in the renovation of Connaught hospital alone.
‘’So we are going to invest a whole lot in this hospital as an example of government’s commitment towards the health sector in this country,’’ he said.
The minister spoke of the government’s plan to expand the number of doctors in the country and admitted that five thousand doctors are needed nationwide to upkeep the health of citizens in the country.
He added that they will also expand the number of post-graduate training opportunities for doctors and that seventy- six billion Leones (Le 76 billion) is needed to expand government hospitals in the whole country.
The minister noted how incredible it is to see Ecobank exercising a corporate social responsibility which shows that they care about children’s welfare by not only renovating the paediatric ward but also building a garden for children as a playground and providing other furniture needed in the ward.
The event was climaxed by the commissioning of the ward and touring of the facility led by Dr. Demby.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (15/06/22)
