COMAHS Celebrates 38 Years of Excellence: A Legacy of Training Healthcare Leaders

Apr 14, 2026 100 views 15 min read

12/4/26

COMAHS Celebrates 38 Years of Excellence: A Legacy of Training Healthcare Leaders

The College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), University of Sierra Leone, the nation’s premier institution for medical education and health service training, is proudly celebrating 38 years of existence as Sierra Leone’s first medical school. The celebration is taking place at the college’s main campus in Kossoh Town, Jui. Established on April 12, 1988, by the Government of Sierra Leone, with generous support from the Nigerian government and the World Health Organization (WHO), COMAHS was founded on a visionary mission: to train local medical professionals and reduce the nation’s reliance on foreign-trained doctors. From humble beginnings with just 12 students in 1988, COMAHS now hosts over 6,800 students, with an impressive 70 percent being female. Today, COMAHS stands as the principal center for developing tomorrow’s healthcare leaders. The institution’s core mandate is to strengthen the country’s healthcare system from within, has been achieved through training a diverse range of competent professionals, including medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, community health officers, and other allied health specialists. Recent Milestones and Success Stories In a major leap forward for medical education, COMAHS has acquired a state-of-the-art Anatomage table, a cutting-edge digital dissection tool that allows students to visualize human anatomy in 3D. President Julius Maada Bio, who inspected the facility in September 2025, hailed it as "a great step forward for medicine in Sierra Leone," noting that this technology empowers students to compete globally. Additionally, a modern teaching complex is under construction at the Kossoh Town campus, set for completion by the next academic year. A shining example of COMAHS's impact is Betty Koker, a 2016 nursing graduate who has become a transformative force in Sierra Leone's healthcare system. After losing her mother to nursing negligence, Betty vowed to become a nurse to prevent other children from becoming orphans. Today, Betty works full-time at Connaught Hospital in Freetown. Through a mentorship program with Mercy Ships, she received advanced training in emergency simulations and specialized orthopedic care techniques. She has brought these skills back to Connaught Hospital, where she is implementing improved patient assessment protocols and training colleagues. Looking ahead, COMAHS is expanding its undergraduate offerings to include dentistry and public health programs. The Ministry of Health is working to increase the college's doctor output tenfold, from approximately 50 to 500 medical doctors annually. As COMAHS marks 38 years of excellence, the institution remains committed to its founding vision: training local professionals to build a healthier, self-reliant Sierra Leone.

Director of Communication and International Relations