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Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, chaired the Global Financing Facility (GFF) Ministerial Network Meeting on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, bringing together health ministers from eighteen countries to share experiences on accelerating progress for women, children, and adolescents.
The high-level roundtable, focused on Health Sustainable Development Goals, provided a platform for Dr. Demby, who serves as Chair of the GFF Ministerial Network, to highlight Sierra Leone’s advances in reducing maternal and child mortality, as well as combating malaria, HIV, diarrhea, malnutrition, and other communicable diseases.
The Global Financing Facility, a country-led partnership hosted by the World Bank, works to fight poverty and inequity by advancing the health and rights of women, children, and adolescents financing, and policy reform.
Addressing fellow ministers at the meeting, Dr. Demby delivered a firm call for collective action. “Health security must be built on a foundation of shared responsibility, with no nation left behind,” he said.
Dr. Demby outlined the tangible progress Sierra Leone has made under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio, pointing to a nationwide network of over 1,600 health facilities, underpinned by key legislative frameworks including the Public Health Act 2023 and national health strategies.
The country’s Free Health Care Initiative, which provides essential services to pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under five, remains a cornerstone of the government’s healthcare delivery. The recruitment and deployment of thousands of health workers, including community health workers reaching hard-to-reach areas, has further strengthened service delivery across the country.
“Progress has been recorded in maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. Maternal mortality has declined substantially, reflecting expanded access to skilled care and strengthened reproductive health interventions,” Dr. Demby told the gathering.
He added that adolescent-friendly health services have been scaled up through schools and dedicated service hubs, while improved access to contraceptives has contributed to better sexual and reproductive health outcomes nationwide.
Reaffirming Sierra Leone’s position on the global health stage, Dr. Demby used the platform to underscore the country’s commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of women and children in the pursuit of Universal Health Coverage.
The GFF Ministerial Network Meeting serves as a key mechanism for heads of health ministries to align strategies, exchange lessons learned, and mobilise the political will needed to meet global health targets.
Sierra Leone’s chairmanship of the network signals the country’s growing influence in shaping international health policy frameworks aimed at the world’s most vulnerable populations.
