Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has stepped into a dispute between the Muslim community and hospital officials over the planned expansion of Koidu Government Hospital. The expansion plans involve demolishing a mosque, prompting Muslim leaders to call for an alternative place of worship and clear arrangements before work begins. Jalloh encouraged both sides to work towards a peaceful agreement that takes their concerns into account.
The Muslim Jamat has expressed support for the hospital’s development but wants assurances that worshippers will have somewhere to pray during the transition. The community has also called for a practical plan to be agreed upon before the existing mosque is demolished. Jalloh said his role was to help the parties communicate and find common ground, drawing on his experience in mediation and conflict resolution.
During discussions with hospital officials and Muslim representatives in Koidu, Jalloh facilitated a conversation aimed at finding a mutually acceptable solution. Koidu District Medical Officer Dr. Mohamed Gbessay assured Jalloh that hospital management was willing to address the community’s concerns and work towards an amicable settlement.
Following the meeting, Jalloh visited the mosque affected by the proposed demolition and inspected another mosque about 100 metres away. The nearby facility has been identified as a possible temporary place of worship if the demolition goes ahead. This potential solution offers a temporary reprieve for worshippers while the hospital expansion proceeds.
The dispute comes as Koidu Government Hospital continues to develop its facilities to improve healthcare services in eastern Sierra Leone. One of the major developments has been the Paul E. Farmer Maternal Centre of Excellence, established in partnership with Partners In Health. The project has helped increase the hospital’s bed capacity, added operating theatres and introduced the country’s first rural Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The expansion is aimed at strengthening the hospital’s capacity to provide maternal and child healthcare services. However, the mosque dispute highlights the need to consider the needs of people living and worshipping around the hospital as construction plans move forward. Jalloh has a longstanding personal connection to Koidu Government Hospital, where he was born.
Jalloh has visited the facility several times in recent years, including during Ramadan, when he shared an Iftar meal with hospital staff. He has also facilitated donations of an ambulance, a 56-seater staff bus and a utility vehicle to support hospital operations and improve working conditions. The latest mediation brings the hospital’s expansion plans and the Muslim community’s concerns into the same discussion.
Key points
- Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh intervened in the dispute to facilitate a peaceful agreement between the Muslim community and hospital officials.
- The mosque is scheduled for demolition as part of the planned expansion of Koidu Government Hospital.
- The hospital expansion aims to improve healthcare services in eastern Sierra Leone, particularly in maternal and child healthcare.
