Sallu Kamuskay
A new dental and health clinic has opened at 2 Martin Street in the Magazine area of Freetown, bringing much-needed care to more than 17,000 people.
The Magazine Clinic will provide dental services, laboratory tests, ultrasound scans, and primary health care. The project was spearheaded by Lansana Moriba, who said opening the clinic was a lifelong dream.
Mr Moriba explained that while in medical school he helped run a pharmacy, and many patients came with toothache complaints. Since 2019, he had hoped to establish a dental clinic. That dream became reality after he contacted Mercy Ships for support. The Improve Foundation, led by its CEO HarmenWesterduin, partnered with Mr Moriba to set up what is now a state-of-the-art facility.
“A day of joy and gratitude”
Speaking on behalf of Mr Westerduin, project support team representative Santigie Bayo Dubuya read a message from the Improve Foundation.
“Today is a day of joy and gratitude. With the opening of this new dental clinic in Freetown, we see a dream becoming reality,” the statement said.
Mr Westerduin’s message described the clinic as more than just “walls, chairs, and equipment,” but a place for children to be free from pain, parents to care for their families with confidence, and neighbors to find hope again.
“We believe that health is a gift, and that everyone deserves the chance to live without unnecessary suffering. That is why we are so thankful for Lansanaand the Magazine Clinic team. You will be the ones bringing relief where there is pain, restoring dignity where there is loss, and offering smiles where there was silence,” he added.
Community welcomes initiative
The opening ceremony was attended by community leaders, religious leaders, politicians, and members of the police force.
A police representative thanked Mercy Ships for supporting the project and pledged that the police would protect the new facility.
The chairman of the Magazine community, Medish, described the project as a “brilliant initiative” and said residents had long been waiting for such an opportunity. A representative from Mabellah community also praised Mercy Ships for what they called a blessing to the community.
The Improve Foundation said it was humbled to be part of the project but stressed that the “real story starts here, in this community,” where lives will be transformed.
“May this place always be a beacon of care and kindness,” Mr Westerduin’s statement concluded. “May it remind us all that when we join hands across borders, across cultures, and across backgrounds, something truly beautiful happens: lives are transformed.”
