On Monday 17th August 2026, the Minister of Health and his senior leadership team inspected ongoing construction works at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (CoMAHS) east of Freetown, and Laka, far west of the city. At CoMAHS, the Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Health, is completing a major ultra-modern building for the Faculty of Basic Medical Services. Worth around USD$3.5Million, this new edifice will accommodate 1,500 students and become a center of excellence for medical education, training, research and innovation.
At Laka, in the extreme west of Freetown, a similar infrastructure project is fargone with two major structures that will house three post graduate colleges-the college of physicians and surgeons, pharmacists and the post graduate nursing and midwiffery. The twin buildings will host up to 500 student doctors trained locally to become specialists.
“It is hoped that this new facility, with its teaching capabilities including an auditorium, students will be exposed to unlimited access to learning resources and opportunities that links them with peers and tutors overseas,” said Dr. Austin Demby, the Minister of Health for Sierra Leone.
The new facilities, according to the Minister, represent more than just bricks and walls. “They represent a beacon of hope and a testament of the Government of Sierra Leone’s unwavering dedication to nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals.”
These landmark projects are meant to completely transform the teaching and learning experiences of students in the medical field. When the young doctors graduate from CoMAHS, Dr. Demby said, they need a landing zone where they will train to become specialists. “At Laka, we will receive these young doctors and help them achieve their dreams of becoming experts in their chosen areas of specialization,” the Minister pointed out.
Year after year, doctors from Sierra Leone who attempt the West Africa College of Surgeons Exams come out with flying colours; a testament to the fact that the country has all it takes to locally produce its own experts capable of competing on the global stage. These investments, led by the Government of Sierra Leone, show a strong desire of a country seeking to deliberately transform the way healthcare is seen and taught as well as actively setting the standard required to improve overall health outcome.