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Sierra Leone showcased its remarkable progress in maternal and child health during a high-level engagement at the UK Houses of Parliament, where policymakers, Members of Parliament, healthcare professionals, and development partners discussed the country’s health sector reforms and the future of global development financing.
Representing the Ministry of Health were Deputy Chief Medical Officer–Clinical Services, Dr med Mustapha S. Kabba, and Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Mrs Yvonne King Odigboh, who participated in a parliamentary screening of a documentary highlighting maternal and newborn healthcare in Sierra Leone. The event emphasised the country’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its health system, promote national ownership, and sustain gains in maternal and child health.
During the discussion, Dr Kabba highlighted Sierra Leone’s significant achievements, noting that maternal mortality has declined from 1,682 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 354 in 2023, while under-five mortality has also reduced substantially through sustained investments in primary healthcare, immunisation, emergency referral systems, skilled birth attendance, health infrastructure, and community health services. He emphasised that these achievements are being accelerated through the Government’s Triple Zero Initiative, which aims to eliminate preventable maternal deaths, preventable child deaths, and zero-dose children by strengthening leadership, accountability, and data-driven decision-making across the health sector.
Dr Kabba further underscored the Ministry of Health’s commitment to building a resilient and self-sustaining health system through continued investment in digital health and health information systems. He noted that real-time data is increasingly informing policy decisions, improving resource allocation, and strengthening accountability nationwide. While reaffirming Sierra Leone’s commitment to greater national ownership of its health sector, he stressed that continued collaboration with international partners remains essential to protecting the country’s hard-earned gains as it transitions towards long-term sustainability.
Representing the Sierra Leone High Commission, Mrs Yvonne King Odigboh reaffirmed the Mission’s commitment to strengthening cooperation between Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom across health, development, trade, and investment. The parliamentary engagement, alongside a separate high-level investment forum led by the Minister of Finance in London, demonstrated Sierra Leone’s broader commitment to institutional reforms, economic transformation, and sustainable development through strong international partnerships.
The event concluded with a renewed call for sustained global collaboration to safeguard the remarkable progress achieved in maternal and child health while supporting Sierra Leone’s transition toward a stronger, more resilient, and nationally owned health system. The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its determination to continue improving healthcare delivery so that more mothers survive childbirth, more children reach their fifth birthday, and every Sierra Leonean has access to quality healthcare services.
