By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The Minister of Health and Sanitation updated members of the press on the transformation of the health sector and gains made by the ministry in changing the narrative of maternal deaths in Sierra Leone from 2018 to date.
Speaking to members of the press at the Ministry of Information and Communications conference room, Youyi Building in Freetown, Dr Austin Demby highlighted the methodology used by the ministry to change the high rate of maternal deaths narrative in recent years.
According to the Minister, the Ministry has set up a five-point agenda plan to combat Maternal Mortality death rates in Sierra Leone before 2030.
He said Maternal Mortality relates to girls under the age of 20 and that a number of deaths from Maternal Mortality are among underage girls. As a Ministry, he said their target is to first educate these girls on Sexual Education.
The five-point strategies the Minister noted are Reducing teenage pregnancy, improving access to quality primary health care, real-time granular data, improving secondary and tertiary services for complications that as infrastructure, higher OB care, blood Service, Equipment, HRH and drugs, and improved Ambulance Service.
According to statistics from MMR by country in 2017, Sierra Leone recorded 1,120 per 100, 000 live births, one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.
He asserted that as a responsible ministry, the strategy that they have implemented would drastically reduce maternal mortality from 717\100k to >300\100K by 2025.
He furthered that a good number of maternal-related deaths are associated with teenage girls, a reason why he said they are working tirelessly to reduce teenage pregnancy, which is currently accounting for 14 per cent of all Maternal Mortality Sexuality education and FP Commodities.
He also added that they have improved access to quality primary healthcare by 1,500 PHUs, Community workers, Blood, and Pregnancy Apps.