By Ibrahim S. Bangura
The neonatal unit at the government regional hospital in Makama, Makeni City, was gutted by a fire early Friday morning, April 11, 2025. Despite the devastating incident, all 15 infants who were on oxygen were successfully rescued and transferred to the Holy Spirit Hospital for continued care, according to hospital authorities.
The fire, which broke out around 4 a.m., completely destroyed the Special Baby Unit, along with vital medical supplies and equipment. Hospital officials estimate the damage to be worth hundreds of thousands of new Leones. Preliminary investigations attribute the cause of the fire to an electrical fault in the cables connecting the building to its power source.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) announced that a stakeholders’ meeting was held later the same day to assess the situation and explore solutions. It was agreed that the National Fire Force would conduct a comprehensive fire risk assessment at the hospital on Monday, April 14, 2025, with support from NDMA.
In the process of rescuing the last infant from the unit, a nurse sustained burn injuries and is currently receiving treatment. Hospital officials have confirmed that she is responding well to care.
The neonatal facility had recently been upgraded through the support of a German organization, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Tragically, it was the only specialized neonatal unit in the district, and its destruction has created a significant gap in infant healthcare delivery in the region.
Authorities and stakeholders are working urgently to address the aftermath of the incident and ensure measures are put in place to prevent similar occurrences in the future.