Health, Gender Ministries Present FY2027 Funding Requests to Finance Ministry
The Ministry of Health has requested NLe341.27 million in recurrent funding for Fiscal Year 2027 to sustain core operations and nationwide healthcare delivery, significantly exceeding the Ministry of Finance’s baseline ceiling of NLe153.30 million.
The request was presented during FY2027 bilateral budget hearings between the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, with discussions focusing on healthcare infrastructure, social protection, women’s welfare and child protection.
The Health Ministry also presented a NLe263.57 million capital expenditure requirement, comprising NLe211 million for new capital projects and NLe52.57 million to complete ongoing FY2026 infrastructure projects.
Opening the health sector hearing, Deputy Minister of Finance I, Kadiatu Allie, stressed that budget discussions should go beyond routine allocations and ensure public spending is directly aligned with national priorities and produces measurable outcomes for citizens.
Deputy Minister of Health Prof. Charles Senessie defended the increased funding request by highlighting recent gains in the health sector, including reductions in maternal and infant mortality, expanded immunisation coverage, increased life expectancy and the recruitment of more than 3,000 health professionals through a digital recruitment portal.
Prof. Senessie also urged increased government financing to help move Sierra Leone closer to the 15 per cent healthcare allocation target under the Abuja Declaration.
Senior Permanent Secretary Andrew Sorie described public health financing as a high-return, life-saving investment essential to building a resilient healthcare system.
The hearings also explored ways to strengthen private-sector partnerships and healthcare innovation amid declining support from international development partners, whose assistance reportedly fell from US$313 million in 2025 to US$267 million in 2026.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs presented a NLe7.96 million FY2027 funding request to support its social protection, child welfare and gender equality programmes. The ministry emphasised the need for sustained financing to consolidate legislative and policy measures protecting vulnerable groups.
The Ministry of Finance is expected to continue reviewing budget proposals from ministries, departments and agencies in the coming weeks as it prepares the national draft budget for submission to Parliament.