By: Mohamed Sahr
The Ministry of Health and its development partners on Thursday, May 15, officially launched the second edition of the National Health Summit at the Bintumani Hotel in Freetown. The three-day event brings together stakeholders to reflect on progress, identify gaps, and strengthen Sierra Leone’s health system.
Dr. Austin Demby, Minister of Health reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming the healthcare system in line with President Julius Maada Bio’s vision for universal health coverage. He described the summit as an opportunity for critical reflection and collaborative action.
“This summit is a turning point. It’s not just about diagnosing weaknesses, but about accelerating accountability, fostering transparency, and implementing strategies for sustainable health outcomes,” Dr. Demby said.
He called on partners to align with government priorities and support the implementation of the National Health Strategy and the National Hospital Strategy, emphasizing that Mpox is not just a disease but a test of preparedness and resilience.
The summit concludes on May 17, with expected outcomes including actionable strategies for improving health delivery, strengthening emergency response systems, and accelerating progress toward universal health coverage.
Delivering an overview of the health system, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Sartie M. Kenneh outlined the structure of the country’s health services spanning district, primary, and chiefdom levels in line with the National Health Sector Policy and the Medium-Term National Development Plan.
Dr. Kenneh underscored that health financing is viewed as an investment, with 9.2% of the national budget allocated to the sector. He noted improvements in areas such as workforce development, disease burden reduction including a decrease in malaria prevalence to 22%, and infrastructure upgrades.
He also referenced the country’s 2022 commitments to strengthen maternal and newborn care (300 referrals per 100 kg strength benchmark), improve nutrition and child immunization, expand adolescent sexual health services and safe spaces, enhance adult and elderly care through diagnostics and service development.
In terms of human resources for health, the CMO noted progress in specialist training programs in midwifery, neonatal care, mental health, and district-level capacity building. Efforts are also underway to upgrade medical training and improve referral systems.
Child health indicators remain a challenge, but maternal mortality rates have improved. Dr. Kenneh also highlighted the importance of data-driven decision-making, efficient logistics, digital health records, and health financing transparency.
Addressing the recent Mpox outbreak, Dr. Kenneh emphasized the importance of contact tracing, community engagement, and a risk-based regulatory approach to drug distribution.
In his remarks, Dr. Andrew L. Sorie, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, emphasized that although significant improvements have been made across hospitals nationwide, public awareness remains low. He stressed the need for increased public education about the ministry’s activities and achievements.
Dr. Sorie also announced plans to establish a Domestic Health Financial Trust Fund and highlighted a resolution passed in support of developing a National Health Insurance Scheme to improve healthcare access for all Sierra Leoneans.
