On October 25, Build Health International will celebrate the inaugural ribbon-cutting opening ceremony of the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE) in Kono, Sierra Leone. This event will be designated for Sierra Leonean government officials who worked closely on the project.

Developed in close partnership with Partners In Health Sierra Leone and the Sierra Leonean Ministry of Health and built by a majority-women team, the MCOE is an iconic 120-bed facility will save lives of mothers and children throughout the region. It will also serve as the premier training facility for maternal healthcare providers across Sierra Leone. 

The first phase of construction represents completion of the facility’s North Ward, South Ward, and Birthing Center. The first patients are expected to seek care in January 2026. Final construction of the Outpatient Department is expected to follow shortly after.

The MCOE will strive to lower Sierra Leone’s high maternal mortality ratio and represents a critical investment in transforming healthcare access for women. It will significantly expand access to high-quality and comprehensive services across Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. The facility was designed with climate resilience and patient-centered care as guiding principles and includes infection control measures, such isolation rooms with private bathrooms and exterior entrances, and personal protection equipment (PPE) anterooms for staff. With a focus on education and community engagement, shaded seating and group gathering areas were built into the design to promote health education opportunities. 

For more information about this project, click here.