By Mohamed Konneh
The Christian Health Association Sierra Leone (CHASL) on September 18th 2025 celebrated 50 years of existence in Sierra Leone marking a milestone achievement of the organization.
CHASL is the umbrella body for a network of health institutions owned by various churches or Christian organizations operating in Sierra Leone and has been in existence since 1975.
Addressing the press at the CHASL head office, Kingharman Road in Freetown, the Chairperson and proprietors of Council, Rev. Dr. Joseph Fornah was quick to draw the attention of the media on the gains successes of the association over the years.
‘’Today we are proud to lunched the 50th anniversary celebrations, marking five decades of faith-driven service, compassion and community impact,’’ he said.
CHASL was founded through the collective vision of faith-based health facilities and has grown from a handful of clinics into Sierra Leone’s second largest health provider, now delivering nearly 30% of the nation’s healthcare services. With a network of 43 health facilities across 13 districts, supported by 10 Christian denominations, CHASL continue to serve where it is needed most, particularly in rural and hard to reach communities.
‘’We stand on the shoulder of giants visionary proprietors, coordinators and health workers who built this legacy of faith service. For fifty years, CHASL has been a beacon of hope ensuring that health care reaches even the most forgotten owners of Sierra Leone,’’ Rev, Dr. Fornah.
Over the past five decades, CHASL, Rev Dr. Fornah said has expanded from local into a national network of hospitals and health centres, trained and equipped generations of health workers, partnered globally shaping national health policy and responding courageously to epidemics such as Ebola, COVID-19 and Mpox.
He said despite these challenges with financing workforce retention and infrastructure, CHASL remains anchored by its core values, Christ-centeredness, integrity, accountability, transparency, cooperation, partnership, creativity, excellence, stewardship and enquiry.
‘’This is not just a celebration of our past, but a recommitment to the future. Together we will build, innovate and heal for today’s Sierra Leone and generations to come. As we look forward, CHASL calls on the government of Sierra Leone, our proprietors and all member facilities to strengthen collaboration and partnership to that together, we can deliver better, more equitable and more compassion health services for every Sierra Leonean,’’ he said.
In his keynote address, Senior Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Andrew Sorie, said he was very much proud about the partnership between the ministry of health and CHASL
‘’The ministry is also pleased with the work of CHASL as they have proved to be a reliable partner. Our mandate as a ministry is to provide affordable and accessible health care for the people and so people who accompany us to fulfill that journey we cherish them and that is what CHASL stand for,’’ he said.
The Senior Permanent Secretary noted that the health of people can’t wait, when people are sick they don’t need to wait, they need treatment.
‘’We are also proud that CHASL has proved to be an accountable organization and that is key to the government and people of Sierra Leone.
We also value this partnership that CHASL brings to the fore the Christian value of love, compassion and this is the teaching of Jesus Christ.
I’m because you are, I live because you live. For anytime you heal a person, you are contributing to poverty reduction. This is what CHASL stand out for,’’ Mr. Sorie stated.
He said during the war years CHASL was there, and providing support.
‘’Today you continue to provide that support not for profit but to save humanity. Today CHASL is celebrating having forty one health care facilities spread across the country. These facilities are spread in remote areas providing the, much needed health services to the people.
These facilities served as a non-profit making facilities and on daily basis they provide services for about one million people. The government also gives support to some of the services so as to sustain them.
