Freetown, 5th January 2026 – A recent audit of the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital at Jui has uncovered serious financial discrepancies and critical shortages of medical equipment, raising concerns about both fiscal management and patient safety at one of the country’s flagship health facilities.
The audit highlighted severe constraints in the hospital’s Maternity and Gynaecology Department. Essential instruments such as delivery sets, examination gloves, baby resuscitation suckers, and oxygen concentrators were found to be lacking.
The Officer-in-Charge further revealed that key lifesaving equipment and drugs were unavailable, including SPO2 machines for monitoring oxygen saturation in pregnant women absence of which poses a serious threat to maternal health.
Glucometers for checking blood sugar levels in newborns weighing over three pounds risk undetected life-threatening conditions, and Tranexamic acid, a critical drug used to stop bleeding in pregnant women, its absence could endanger lives during childbirth emergencies.
On the financial side, auditors reported that the hospital collected NLe526,665 in revenue during 2024. However, only NLe348,688 was deposited into its internally generated revenue accounts at GTCO and Zenith Bank. This left a discrepancy of NLe177,977 unbanked.
Alarmingly, volunteers, rather than trained financial staff, were tasked with collecting and depositing revenue. This practice violates Regulation 46 (1a) of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Regulations of 2018, which requires proper oversight and accountability in public sector financial operations.
The audit also flagged payroll concerns. A physical staff verification exercise revealed that 41 staff members failed to present themselves for verification, yet salaries amounting to NLe809,933 were paid to them during the review period.
Auditors recommended that the Medical Superintendent, Chief Medical Officer, and Permanent Secretary take immediate steps to address these challenges. They stressed that urgent reforms are needed to strengthen revenue management, enforce staff accountability, and ensure the availability of essential medical equipment and drugs.
