Maternal Center of Excellence

Advancing Maternal and Newborn Health

The MCOE, in rural Kono District, is a bold step toward ending preventable maternal deaths and ensuring every woman receives the high-quality care she deserves. As a cutting-edge facility on the Koidu Government Hospital (KGH) campus, the MCOE will dramatically transform maternal and newborn health services and set a new standard of care. Designed to provide advanced health services, the MCOE expands KGH’s campus and leverages global best practices, increasing its 48-bed maternal ward and special care baby unit to a 120-bed capacity facility, including the first neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the country.

The Services

The MCOE is dedicated to serving women throughout their reproductive years, providing comprehensive care related to pregnancy, childbirth, and reproductive health. Additionally, the MCOE offers specialized neonatal care for newborns up to 28 days old, supporting babies born both within the facility and in the community. This center is committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care to mothers and their newborns during these critical early stages of life. All staff are committed to respectful maternity care for all patients, guided by principles of midwifery such as informed consent, treating every individual with dignity, ensuring a bullying- and abuse-free environment, involving significant others in care, and maintaining strict confidentiality.

The MCOE features four modern buildings, including three operating theaters and Sierra Leone’s first NICU. A dedicated dormitory will provide a comfortable space for mothers to stay close to their newborns, receiving care at the NICU. The center offers space for birth companions to support women throughout their childbirth journey. Patients enter through the existing entrance on the KGH campus, where all individuals seeking care related to pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health, or neonatal services are carefully directed to the MCOE’s dedicated triage area for expert attention.

Partnerships

The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Health works closely with PIH-SL to open and operate the MCOE on the KGH campus. The construction was led by PIH’s longtime partner Build Health International. The MCOE is the result of a close collaboration between local communities, government entities, and international partners. This shared vision and unity of purpose made the dream of a world-class maternal health facility in Sierra Leone’s remote Kono district possible.

From the earliest planning stages, the community played an essential role. The district health management team, local chiefs, and community leaders stood as vital allies, advocating for improved maternal care and supporting the project every step of the way.

Over the years, community members have donated plants and trees to the MCOE, which were grown in a nursery while awaiting transplant. These plants are now part of the beautiful landscape. We are incredibly proud of this deep community connection to the hospital, bringing people closer to the MCOE, one plant at a time.

Timeline

The MCOE broke ground in April 2021. Build Health International (BHI), who led the construction, worked tirelessly throughout heat and rain to build the MCOE from the ground up. After four years of construction, His Excellency Brig. (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, alongside Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, officially inaugurated the center through a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 25, 2025.

After the event, staff underwent further intensive training and orientation amid the new space and equipment. Patient flows were refined, and essential systems, from supply chains to data infrastructure, tested and optimized. From electronic medical records to biomedical equipment, such as advanced vitals monitors and oxygen cylinders, staff learned how to safely provide dignified, high-quality care. The facility welcomed the first patients on February 14th, 2026.

Construction Crew

The MCOE construction crew was a success story in itself. For many of the women who worked at the site, it became more than just a job, but rather a place to grow—both personally and professionally. Women like Yei Mansaray, a 29-year-old mother of five, learned livelihood skills that will stay with them long after the MCOE construction is completed. Mansaray was hired as a laborer, promoted to a cleaner, and finally worked in the depot department, which is where all the tools and equipment are organized and stored. With no formal education, Mansaray never learned how to read or write—until her job in the depot.