AYV News, August 21, 2025
The Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, has formally welcomed the country’s first cohort of biomedical technicians, marking a pivotal step in strengthening Sierra Leone’s health technology systems.
According to Minister Demby, these professionals, who have been trained to install, maintain, and calibrate critical medical equipment, have been deployed with toolkits, spare parts, and operational support fully funded by the Government of Sierra Leone.
Speaking at the ceremony, Senior Permanent Secretary, Mr. Andrew Sorie, described the milestone as “a turning point for patient safety and service reliability.” He emphasized that hospitals across the country have long struggled with equipment downtime, delayed repairs, and a lack of in-house technical expertise.
“Today we close that gap,” he said. “These engineers will help ensure that lifesaving machines are available, functional, and safe when patients need them most.” PS Sorie stated.
Also, Dr. Mustapha Kabba, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Clinical), announced that the Ministry plans to expand the program, recruit additional cohorts, and establish a national center of excellence for biomedical engineering.
He further noted that priorities have been placed in building local capacity to refurbish and repurpose equipment, strengthening regulatory oversight of donated devices, and integrating biomedical technicians’ input into new facility designs and procurement decisions.
“Having a dedicated biomedical engineer on call will reduce downtime and improve outcomes for mothers and babies,” Dr. Kabba added.
