On Saturday, Partners In Health celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Paul Farmer Maternal Center of Excellence in Kono, Sierra Leone. The PIH Sierra Leone team demoed OpenMRS and the O3 ward view to the many visitors including the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio (wearing the hat):
Paul’s wife, Didi Bertrand Farmer, articulated how poignant it was that this ceremony occurred just a day before Paul’s birthday as there was certainly no better way to honor Paul and celebrate his legacy.
Sheila Davis (PIH CEO) wrote:
I took my first trip to Sierra Leone in October of 2014 during the height of the Ebola outbreak. It was a frightening time to see such suffering, despair, and hopelessness. Eleven years later, I found joy, optimism, and hope with hundreds of dedicated team members working for PIH-SL bringing comprehensive quality care to Kono and bending the arc for women worldwide.
Congratulations to the Sierra Leone team and all involved for making this groundbreaking vision become a reality. @ikarera@alieubh@vamba
This is such an incredible achievement , and we can always count on the PIH team to deliver a top-tier OpenMRS implementation. The @Mekom team is proud to have made a small contribution to this project last year.
Congratulations @ball, @fanderson and everyone involved at PIH and MCoE, Kono. So cool to see the ward app in production. @pauladams and all of us @Sonder are cheering you on, and proud to have been involved in the design of the Ward App, with fond memories of our time in Kono last year
Congratulations to the entire PIH & Sierra Leone team on this incredible event! It’s an honor to have OpenMRS and O3 showcased. What an exciting moment for the entire OpenMRS community! Bravo team
October 2025 was the official ribbon cutting with dignitaries but the real stars (Mothers and Babies) arrived at the new Paul E. Farmer Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE) on February 14, 2025.
At 10 a.m., the MCOE opened its doors to the very first patients for inpatient maternal and neonatal care. The day marked a profound transition from years of planning, collaboration, and construction to the delivery of lifesaving care for women and newborns. In the first 24 hours of opening, the MCOE welcomed 27 patients, with a total of 13 babies born. Seven babies were delivered via cesarean section (C-section) and six via vaginal delivery.
, and we can always count on the PIH team to deliver a top-tier OpenMRS implementation. The 
. Exciting to see all the work come to life!!