This training aims to address the significant challenges in maternal and newborn health, with high mortality rates attributable to preventable complications during childbirth in Makeni. To this end, refresher training is offered to midwives and community health workers (CHWs) at the SCBU, focusing on basic life-saving skills and hypothermia.

Designed to care for premature babies or newborns who become ill after birth, the SCBU is located in Makeni's 200-bed regional hospital and has 50 beds for pediatric services, including 20 SCBU beds.
A multidisciplinary team that cares for 90 to 100 newborns per month with a survival rate of 85% provides specialized intensive care, including oxygen therapy and other life-saving interventions.

Neonatal hypothermia is one of the leading causes of mortality in Sierra Leone. Without regular refresher courses, life-saving skills can deteriorate significantly within a year.

The fire that broke out at the Makeni SCBU on April 11, 2025 caused significant damage, leading to a disruption in services. This raised concerns about the safety of the facility and the reliability of care for newborns, underscoring the importance and urgent need for robust and reliable infrastructure and emergency preparedness and response protocols in health facilities.

Help us close the urgent gap in life-saving infrastructure.
The fire incident has highlighted the need to train staff not only in clinical care but also in hospital safety protocols and emergency evacuation of critically ill newborns.

We are asking for support to replace lost essential equipment and to provide refresher courses in life-saving skills and how to deal with hypothermia.