A high powered delegation from the Ministry of Defence and Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (MoD/RSLAF) comprising the Minister of Defence and his Deputy, Chief of Defence Staff, Commander Joint Force and all Assistant Chiefs of Defence Staff among others visited 34 Military Hospital in the morning of Thursday 5th August 2021. The purpose of the visit was to appreciate the effort of the First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio in her drive to improve on the infrastructure of the 34 Military Hospital. The construction work being sponsored by the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone is estimated to be completed in 2 years. The delegation was received by the Commander Joint Medical Unit (JMU) who also led the tour.

Minister of Defence, Brigadier (Retired) Kellie Hassan Conteh highlighted that MoD/RSLAF will continue to support Madam First Lady’s effort by ensuring that 34 Military Hospital is upgraded to a level 4 Hospital to rival its counterparts within the sub-region.

During his brief statement, Chief of Defence Staff of the RSLAF, Lieutenant General SI Sesay continued to thank Madam First Lady for taking keen interest in the 34 Military Hospital. “I am also impressed by the very high standards that the Commander JMU, Colonel Dr Stephen Sevalie has set” he continued.

At the end of the tour, the Minister of Defence lauded the effort of the Commander JMU for expanding the Armed Forces medical facilities across the country beyond what it was; from Medical Inspection Rooms (MI Rooms) to level 2 Hospitals that can “provide standard medical services not only for soldiers and their families but also for communities”. He also stated that the leadership of the MoD/RSLAF is supporting His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief’s vision to expand and capacitate the Armed Forces.

When commenting about his vision for the 34 Military Hospital, Commander JMU emphatically stated that, “34 Military Hospital is changing and progressing. I assure you that in the not too distant future, our medical facility will be significantly transformed to a level 4 Hospital”.Concluding the tour, Commander JMU thanked Madam First Lady for her continued support. He also expressed gratitude to his Chain of Command for their immense support over the period, stating that they have “demonstrated commitment with passion to see the development of JMU and by extension the RSLAF.”