Sierra Leone News

The WHO Country Representative, Innocent Bright Nuwagira, led a team from AFRO and Africa CDC to brief Babatunde Ahonsi, the UN Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, about an ongoing scoping mission. This mission's primary objective is to bolster health security and emergency capacity for the successful implementation of the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) initiatives within the country.

Malaria poses a significant health burden in Sierra Leone, with high transmission rates year-round. Children under five and pregnant women are mostly affected, leading to severe illness and death. The disease strains healthcare resources, hinders economic productivity, and challenges access to care, particularly in remote areas. Sierra Leone implements preventive measures and collaborates with global health partners to combat malaria, but challenges persist, highlighting the need for sustained efforts to address this threat to public health.

Freetown ‒ Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world, with 717 mothers dying annually for every 100 000 live births as of 2019 (DHS, 2019). One of the primary contributing factors is delayed first visits to health facilities by mothers-to-be. Provision of quality preconception, antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care to all mothers in also inequitable. High out-of-pocket expenditure for accessing basic care, as well as inadequate delivery of patient-centered care at both primary and secondary levels, compound the challenges.

Freetown, 1 May 2023 ‒The Government of Sierra Leone is this week holding a three-day Universal Health and Preparedness Review high-level meeting in the country’s capital, Freetown.