New CHAMPS Research Laboratory Commissioned in Sierra Leone

July 26, 2022

On July 21, 2022, members of the CHAMPS Sierra Leone site team gathered with local and international partners to celebrate the official opening of a new clinical research laboratory at the Makeni Regional Government Hospital. Built in partnership with the CDC Foundation and the Ministry of Health and furnished by CHAMPS, this laboratory space will be used to support critical surveillance and diagnostics activities.

Currently in Sierra Leone one in 32 babies do not live beyond their first 28 days of life, and one in every 10 children will die before their fifth birthday. Using state-of-the art biomedical and technological tools in this new laboratory, CHAMPS researchers will be well-equipped to examine the top preventable causes of child and infant mortality, generating knowledge to inform policy and interventions to prevent similar deaths in the future.

The CHAMPS Sierra Leone team was in attendance at the event, including Site Director, Dr. Ikechukwu (Ike) Ogbuanu, who was joined by Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer, and implementing partners from Crown Agents, Focus 1000, World Hope International, U.S. CDC Foundation, and many others.

Congratulations to the CHAMPS Sierra Leone site team, and many thanks to all who collaborated on this exciting project!

Please enjoy these photo and media highlights from the event.