In a major advance for healthcare in Sierra Leone, the China-aided Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has officially opened its doors at the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital in Freetown. This facility is a landmark in bilateral cooperation – equipping the hospital with cardiac monitors, defibrillators, ventilators, and other critical-care technologies to treat patients with acute heart conditions.
The ICU marks a key outcome of the Sierra Leone-China Paired Hospital Cooperation Mechanism Project, which connects the Friendship Hospital with China’s Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. At the inauguration, Deputy Health Minister Charles Senessie expressed his gratitude to the Chinese expert team, noting how vital this new unit is for expanding Sierra Leone’s cardiovascular care capacity.
Tao Xueyong, deputy director from Hunan Province’s Health Commission, emphasised that Chinese and Sierra Leonean experts will collaborate closely to ensure safe operations, while also focusing on “technology transfer and talent development” to build a sustainable local medical team. The Chinese medical team has pledged to deepen cooperation through training, joint case discussions, and technical exchanges.
This cardiac ICU is not an isolated effort. Earlier in 2025, the Paired Hospital Cooperation Project was formally launched, creating a telemedicine center and specialized departments in cardiology, ophthalmology, and ENT. This collaboration leverages China’s advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies, bringing long-term benefits to Sierra Leone’s health system.
In September 2025, China and Sierra Leone also opened their first on-site first aid training center at the same Friendship Hospital. The center provides training in emergency response skills such as CPR – equipping local health workers to handle urgent medical situations.
Beyond infrastructure and training, Chinese medical teams have supported Sierra Leone through multiple public-health crises. Over the years, Chinese professionals have treated malaria, COVID-19, and other diseases – offering not just clinical care but also capacity building through local training.
The Friendship Hospital itself has deep roots: it was jointly funded and built by China and Sierra Leone, and inaugurated over a decade ago. This hospital has also played critical roles in past emergencies, including the Ebola outbreak.
On the diplomatic front, China and Sierra Leone cooperate on infrastructure too. One prominent example is the proposed Lungi Bridge, a major infrastructure project set to connect Freetown to the Lungi airport area; the Chinese firm China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is reported to be behind the venture.
For Sierra Leone, the cardiac ICU is a game-changer: it reduces the need to transfer critical heart patients abroad or between distant hospitals, and provides a first-of-its-kind referral center for the whole country. For China, it illustrates a long-term, capacity-building model of engagement – not just medical aid, but genuine technology transfer and institutional strengthening.
In the broader picture, this story is emblematic of how Sino-African cooperation is evolving: from traditional aid to smart partnerships that build local systems, grow human capital, and leave lasting legacies.
