The Deputy Head of Mission One, Shigeru Umetsu, while addressing stakeholders and locals revealed that the grant was in the sum of Ninety-Five Thousand United States Dollars for the construction of a PHU, with water facility, toilet, staff quarter and incinerator. He said the centre will also be provided with medical equipment, motor tri-cycle ambulance and furniture to keep the facility to standards for residents in that part of the country.
Mr. Shigeru Umetsu said his government intervention is aiming at improving on health care service deliveries for pregnant women, lactating mothers and their new born babies, and the aged pointing that the centre will also serve as a practical centre for all practicing nurses from any paramedical. He called on local authorities, health officials and the government for effective utilization of the facilities so that generations will benefit from it as he pledged their continual support to the local Non-Governmental Organization TIPDO.
The chairman of Bombali district council John Shanghai Koroma revealed that the ceremony was timely and significant because according to him it is exactly Sixty (60) years since the Japanese government started developing other countries. He thanked the Japanese for their support to the government and people of Sierra Leone pointing out that all their support are tangible and significant.
Chairman Koroma said the Makarie Gbanti chiefdom suffered seriously during the Ebola outbreak as a result of the non-availability of health centre as locals had to trek Nine miles to the government referral hospital in Makeni. He said the PHU by TIPDO from the Japanese government is a solution to the health issue in that part of the country because of its strategic location and proximity to Nine of the Thirteen chiefdoms in the district.
The district council chairman requested for an expansion of the PHU into a hospital status as he put it the completion of the Makeni/Guinea highway via Kamakwei will open traffic and movement of more people in the path. So if a hospital is available there, all health related cases will be addressed there. He pledged council continual support to the centre and the organization.
The district health sister One, Sister Serry Kamal said the District Health Management Team (DHMT) is committed to quality health service delivery in the district and the construction of the PHU have boosted their work. She assured all of allocating dedicated staff to the centre, the ready availability of drug and proper utilization of the facilities.