By: Aminata Sesay
The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, has emphasized the need for renewed commitment, innovation, and data-driven strategies to address Sierra Leone’s three major public health concerns: HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria.
Dr. Demby made this call during the End-of-Term Review and National Strategic Plan (NSP) Development Meeting, held on Monday, 3rd November 2025, at the Brookfields Hotel in Freetown. The event brought together key stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, development partners, civil society organizations, and international agencies to assess progress, review achievements, identify challenges, and outline strategic priorities for the next phase of Sierra Leone’s national response to the three diseases.
The session was chaired by Dr. Wurie, who welcomed participants and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working collaboratively with partners to strengthen public health outcomes nationwide.
“We cannot continue to do the same things over and over again when outcomes are not improving,” said Dr. Demby. “We must interrogate our data, ask what it tells us, and use that evidence to make smarter, targeted decisions.”
Dr. Demby noted that while Sierra Leone has made notable progress in HIV prevention and treatment, there remains a critical gap in testing and awareness. Out of approximately 81,000 people living with HIV in the country, many are still unaware of their status or are not linked to sustained care.
“The number one priority for us is ensuring that everyone knows their HIV status,” he said. “Today, we have effective diagnosis and treatment options that allow people living with HIV to lead normal, healthy lives and prevent further transmission. But this can only happen if people get tested.”
The Minister also emphasized the need to strengthen Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programs, lamenting that babies continue to be born HIV-positive due to missed opportunities during antenatal care. He urged healthcare workers to intensify efforts to reach pregnant women with testing, treatment, and counseling services.
Dr. Demby further highlighted the importance of viral load monitoring to assess treatment effectiveness and prevent resistance, urging that every person on treatment should have their viral load tested at least once a year.
Turning to tuberculosis, the Minister stressed the close link between TB and HIV, noting that the two diseases must be managed in an integrated manner to improve outcomes.
“You cannot treat TB and ignore HIV both must be managed together,” he stated. “We must ensure timely diagnosis, strengthen laboratory systems, and provide comprehensive care to prevent drug resistance and loss of lives.”
He encouraged health professionals to use local data to identify trends, target interventions, and guide policy adjustments more effectively.
Dr. Demby described malaria as Sierra Leone’s leading cause of death and one of Africa’s most persistent public health challenges. Despite major interventions — including the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying, improved diagnostics, and the recent introduction of the malaria vaccine for children the disease continues to claim many lives.
“If we have distributed bed nets, introduced vaccines, and provided effective treatment, yet continue to see high mortality rates, then we must ask the right questions,” he said. “Who is dying? Where are they dying? Why are they dying? The data is telling us something, and we must listen.”
Dr. Demby noted that global health funding has become increasingly competitive, with an estimated $56 billion withdrawn from international financing streams in recent years. He stressed that Sierra Leone must demonstrate measurable outcomes to justify continued investment.
“These are no longer gifts they are investments,” he said. “If resources are invested in our health system, we must show a return in the form of improved health outcomes.”
He called for decentralized data use and analysis to ensure that district health teams, hospitals, and community health facilities are empowered to interpret and act on data for improved decision-making and accountability.
In closing, the Minister urged all stakeholders to consolidate progress and strive for excellence in their work.
“We know that you are good at what you do,” he said. “But the challenge now is to move from good to excellent. Effectively managing HIV, TB, and malaria sets the foundation for a stronger, more resilient health system.”
He reminded participants that the ultimate focus of all interventions must be people, not diseases, stressing the importance of following individuals through every stage of life from infancy to adulthood to ensure continuous and equitable care.
“You are not dealing with diseases; you are dealing with people,” Dr. Demby concluded. “Our vision of universal health coverage must place the individual at the center, following their life stages and ensuring that no one is left behind,” he said.
The meeting concluded with renewed commitment from government officials, partners, and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration, enhance data-driven decision-making, and accelerate progress towards ending HIV, TB, and malaria as public health threats in Sierra Leone.