It has been over two years since the people of Sierra Leone were overcome by the Ebola outbreak, which led to the deaths of 3,955 people. Sierra Leone was the second worst-hit country. Many people were left without husbands, mothers, sisters, children, and families due to the country’s dismal healthcare delivery system. Sierra Leone is among the top three countries with the poorest healthcare system in the world. The country’s inadequate supply of clean and safe drinking water, poor sanitation, and ill-equipped and resource-poor healthcare facilities had exacerbated the Ebola crisis. Sierra Leone is still recovering from the deadly disease and hospitals are still without the basic necessities to delivery adequate healthcare services.

In Sierra Leone, thousands of people with treatable health conditions die every day due to inadequate resources and skilled healthcare providers to properly treat and diagnose sick people. Even after the Ebola crisis, there has not been significant improvements in hospital resources, including a constant supply of clean water and electricity, modern medical equipment and medical supplies, enough drugs and hospital beds, and trained healthcare professionals.

Hatfield-Archer Memorial Hospital, also known as Rotifunk Hospital, is a hospital in Sierra Leone with one doctor who serves over 145,000 people. The hospital is poorly equipped and lacks even the basics, such as sufficient staff and reliable electricity. Because of this, individuals and families are frequently turned away from receiving medical services. Most disheartening are pregnant women seeking birth care services. At times when the hospital seems to be able to deliver babies, the outcome is never what it hopes or seems to be.

The Mission of Hope: Rotifunk Hospital team was just stricken by the horrific news of a botched Cesarean section. The mother, a stepdaughter of the Chief of Bumpeh Chiefdom. She died a month after receiving the surgery, leaving behind a month old baby, a two year old and two other children with her sixty-three year old mother. The Chief is currently in Rotifunk for his stepdaughter’s ceremonial funeral.

At this time, Rotifunk Hospital’s new doctor can perform Cesarean sections. However, the Chief said, “There’s no anesthetic now.” As Rotifunk Hospital continues to receive support from Mission of Hope, we ask for you to pray with us and consider giving so that there is no shortage of medical supplies, a running generator with a plan to build a more reliable solar power system, running clean water and most importantly, to help us save and change the lives of thousands of mothers and children living in one of the world’s poorest country.