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Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, Dr Austin Demby, has held a high-level bilateral meeting with Ms Mama Keita, Deputy Executive Secretary for Programme Support at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), to advance national health financing reforms and strengthen regional partnerships.
During the meeting, Dr Demby highlighted early results recorded under the Government’s national 300 Days of Activism initiative, including a 32 per cent reduction in maternal deaths nationwide and an 11 per cent decline in overall child mortality.
He also reported a 92 per cent increase in the identification and outreach to zero-dose children as part of efforts to improve immunisation coverage and ensure that more children have access to essential vaccines.
Minister Demby stressed that sustaining these gains would require structural investments in health financing mechanisms and integrated data management systems to support evidence-based decision-making and ongoing health sector reforms.
“Sustained success requires embedded health financing structures and modernised information systems to guide ongoing national health sector reforms,” Dr Demby said during the briefing.
Ms Keita commended Sierra Leone for the progress made in the health sector and expressed interest in supporting the country’s health financing strategy. She reaffirmed UNECA’s shared commitment to advancing quality, accessible and equitable healthcare.
The engagement also focused on mobilising external resources, improving the coordination of public health investments and expanding equitable access to healthcare services across rural and urban communities.
The meeting forms part of Sierra Leone’s broader efforts to strengthen the sustainability of health sector financing and consolidate partnerships that can support improved healthcare delivery nationwide.
