In a landmark moment for the nation’s health sector, Sierra Leone has made a bold move toward transforming its surgical landscape with the official launch of the National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anaesthesia Plan (NSOAP). This comprehensive roadmap is designed to revolutionize surgical healthcare and save countless lives across the country.
The historic plan was officially unveiled in Freetown on October 31, 2025, by the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Austine Demby. Just days later, Dr. Med. Mustapha Kabba, the architect behind the NSOAP, presented the plan to a pan-African audience at the 3rd Pan African Surgical Healthcare Forum (PASHeF) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In his address at PASHeF, Dr. Kabba laid out the core objectives of the NSOAP, emphasizing its impact on the lives of ordinary Sierra Leoneans. Rather than focusing solely on statistics, he presented a vision for achieving ambitious, measurable targets to bridge critical gaps in surgical healthcare including increasing the number of specialists from 1.6 to 5 per 100,000 people.
Growing the overall surgical workforce from approximately 4.5 to 10 per 100,000 people. Boosting the number of surgical procedures from 505 to 1,000 per 100,000 people, ensuring that more citizens receive life-saving surgeries. Establishing a sustainable financing model to drastically reduce out-of-pocket expenses, which have long been a barrier to accessing care.
“This plan is not just a document; it is a covenant with the people of Sierra Leone,” Dr. Kabba stated. “We are putting the community at the center of its implementation and ensuring full ownership and leadership from the Ministry of Health. This is about strengthening our surgical governance to address the high unmet surgical need and building a system that is resilient, sustainable, accountable, and responsive.”
While acknowledging the challenges of limited funding, infrastructure deficits, and workforce shortages that contribute to the unmet surgical needs, Dr. Kabba expressed optimism. He pointed to the government’s strongest asset: unwavering political will from the highest levels of government. The plan also benefits from strategic partnerships with non-governmental organizations like Mercy Ships, CapaCare, Smile Train, and UN agencies, as well as regional collaborations with organizations such as the Western African College of Surgeons (WACS) and forums like PASHeF.
In a symbolic gesture cementing Sierra Leone’s commitment to the plan, Dr. Kabba formally presented the NSOAP to the PASHeF community, handing the document to the Forum’s Chairman, Professor Abeba. This act signifies Sierra Leone’s entry into an elite group of African nations that have developed and committed to a national surgical plan.
The launch of the NSOAP represents a new chapter in surgical healthcare in Sierra Leone. It stands as a testament to the nation’s determination to build a healthier, more prosperous future, where every citizen has the right to quality, affordable, and timely surgical care.
