Health Ministry Sets to Shortlist Applicants for 3,000 Health Workers Recruitment

The Ministry of Health has entered the shortlisting phase of its nationwide recruitment drive for 3,000 health workers, a major step in Sierra Leone’s efforts to strengthen the health system and advance toward Universal Health Coverage.

The recruitment exercise, which targets nurses, midwives, community health officers, laboratory technicians and other health professionals, is being conducted through a newly introduced digital application portal developed by the Ministry’s internal technical team. The system replaces earlier manual processes that were widely criticized for inefficiency and limited transparency.

Speaking on the development, the Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, said the shortlisting process is strictly merit-based and guided by clear professional standards. He explained that the online platform is designed to ensure fairness and accountability in the selection of candidates.

“This online system ensures accountability and establishes a clear, structured framework for selecting qualified candidates,” Dr. Demby said. “It is about getting the right people in the right places to serve our communities.”

According to the Ministry, the portal has already processed thousands of applications from across the country. Officials say the digital approach marks a significant shift in public sector recruitment, particularly for applicants in rural areas who can now apply and track their status without traveling to Freetown.

Health Ministry officials described the move as a turning point for the sector, noting that the recruitment is a direct response to long-standing human resource shortages in public health facilities. The additional workforce is expected to improve service delivery, especially in underserved districts.

Dr. Demby noted that increasing the number of qualified health workers is critical to reducing maternal and infant mortality, expanding access to care in rural communities, and ensuring that health facilities are staffed by trained, PIN-coded professionals rather than relying heavily on volunteers.

The Ministry of Health has urged applicants and members of the public to follow its official communication channels for updates on the shortlisting results and guidance on the next stages of the recruitment process.

The recruitment drive is one of the largest undertaken by the Ministry in recent years and is seen by health sector observers as a key component of broader reforms aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and equity in Sierra Leone’s health system.