China-Sierra Leone Nursing Training Centre was officially inaugurated at the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital in Freetown on 3 July 2026, marking a significant milestone in bilateral healthcare cooperation. The launch coincided with the commencement of the Centre’s inaugural training programme for Sierra Leonean nursing professionals.
The Centre, which will be primarily managed and taught by the 27th Chinese Medical Team from Hunan Province, will serve as a permanent platform for nursing education, professional development, and knowledge exchange between China and Sierra Leone.
The opening ceremony was attended by Wang Peng, Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone, alongside senior Sierra Leonean health officials, including First Deputy Minister of Health Charles Senessie, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sartie Kenneh, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Dr. Patricia Matu Bah, and Permanent Secretary Andrew Sorie.
In his remarks, First Deputy Minister of Health Charles Senessie praised China’s longstanding medical assistance to Sierra Leone, describing the new training centre as an important step toward strengthening the country’s healthcare system.
He noted that the Centre would help address gaps in nursing education by facilitating the continuous transfer of advanced clinical skills, modern nursing techniques, and internationally recognized operational standards, further demonstrating the depth of cooperation between the two countries.
The Medical Superintendent of the Sierra Leone–China Friendship Hospital, Dr. Tarawally, expressed appreciation to the Chinese Medical Team for its dedication to clinical training and professional capacity building. During the ceremony, Dr. Patricia Matu Bah formally presented the Centre’s official plaque to its Director, Tan Yan, a senior nursing specialist from Hunan Cancer Hospital and a member of the Chinese Medical Team.
Delivering remarks via video link, Chang Shi, Deputy Director of the Hunan Provincial Health Commission, described the Centre as an important platform for medical collaboration between Hunan Province and Sierra Leone. He encouraged the Chinese Medical Team to share its expertise generously, strengthen local capacity, and establish sustainable partnerships that would deliver lasting benefits to Sierra Leone’s healthcare sector.
The Centre’s inaugural two-month training programme has enrolled more than 40 nursing professionals selected from five major hospitals across Sierra Leone. Developed to address priority healthcare needs, the curriculum covers eight specialized areas, including basic nursing care, infectious disease management, emergency care, and traditional Chinese medicine nursing.
The programme adopts a train-the-trainer approach, equipping participants with the skills and knowledge needed to train other healthcare professionals, thereby creating a sustainable and self-reliant nursing workforce.
Following the inauguration, the first specialized training session on emergency care was conducted by Associate Professor Sheng Jie, a cardiologist from Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, and Tan Yan, Senior Nursing Specialist at Hunan Cancer Hospital. The training combined classroom instruction, live demonstrations, and practical hands-on exercises to enhance participants’ clinical competencies.
The sessions were highly interactive, with trainees actively participating in practical demonstrations and expressing appreciation for the expertise and experience shared by the Chinese instructors.
Speaking at the event, Li Zheng, Captain of the 27th Chinese Medical Team, said the establishment of the Centre represents a shift in China’s medical assistance—from providing short-term clinical support to building long-term institutional capacity.
He noted that the Centre would serve as a sustainable platform for transferring standardized nursing practices, strengthening professional training, and deepening healthcare cooperation between China and Sierra Leone.
The ceremony concluded with Chinese and Sierra Leonean officials, members of the Chinese Medical Team, and participating trainees commemorating the occasion with a group photograph, symbolizing the enduring partnership between the two countries in advancing healthcare development.