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At the Sierra Leone Medical & Dental Association Mid-Year Congress in Kenema, Health Minister Dr. Austin Demby advocated for urgent system reform aimed at ending preventable maternal and child deaths in Sierra Leone. He praised the nation’s health workforce for its dedication and called for a renewed, accountable push to strengthen healthcare delivery across all levels.
Framing the congress theme, “The Role of Health Professionals in Achieving Zero Preventable Maternal and Child Deaths in Sierra Leone,” as a direct call to action, Dr. Demby described the 300 Days of Activism as the beginning of a new era for the country’s health system.
Dr. Demby told delegates that saving lives requires focused intervention at the community, household, and facility levels.
“Lives are not lost at the national level. Lives are lost at the community level, at the household level, and at the facility level,” he said, stressing that national statistics must translate into local action and measurable improvements in care.
He urged clinicians, nurses, midwives, dentists, and allied health workers to lead with data, innovation, systems redesign, and on-the-ground compassion. According to the minister, closing existing gaps will require both technical improvements and a stronger commitment to patient-centred care.
Dr. Demby called on all health professionals to become Triple Zero Champions—champions of zero preventable maternal deaths, zero preventable newborn deaths, and zero preventable child deaths.
“History will judge us by the lives we save,” he declared, framing the challenge as both a moral imperative and a professional responsibility.
He emphasised that achieving these goals will require coordinated efforts across ministries, health facilities, community health workers, and civil society, with frontline staff empowered to use data and locally driven solutions to address avoidable deaths.
Rejecting the notion that the 300 Days of Activism is merely a short-term campaign, Dr. Demby described it as the foundation of a sustained movement toward accountability, professional excellence, and innovation. He urged the medical and dental fraternity to embed best practices into everyday care delivery.
The minister also highlighted the importance of system redesign—from referral pathways to supply chains and clinical mentorship—and called for innovations that are practical, scalable, and responsive to community needs.
In closing, Dr. Demby urged delegates to translate commitments into measurable results and return to their facilities and communities as agents of change, equipped with data and a renewed sense of purpose.
“The 300 Days of Activism is not the start of a national campaign; it is the beginning of an era of accountability, professional excellence, and innovation to achieve our one shared vision,” he said.
