By Ibrahim S. Bangura
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with development partners, successfully concluded the 2025 National Health Summit and Performance Awards, marking a renewed commitment to improving healthcare accessibility and innovation in Sierra Leone. The three-day event, held at the Bintumani Conference Centre in Freetown from May 15 to 17, brought together stakeholders to evaluate progress, discuss challenges, and chart a future for a more inclusive healthcare system.
Opening the summit, Health Minister Dr. Austin Demby described the gathering as a “reunification of Sierra Leone’s health family,” welcoming representatives from across the country. He emphasized the need to transition from fragmented, donor-driven health initiatives to a nationally-led, community-centered healthcare approach.
A major highlight of the summit was the introduction of the Life Stages Model, a framework designed to cater to healthcare needs across all stages of life. Dr. Demby also unveiled three key policy documents to support this vision:
- National Hospital Strategy for Service Delivery Transformation (2025–2030)
- National Oral Health Strategy Plan (2024–2030)
- Costed National Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer
“These documents will serve as the foundation of our renewed commitment to accessible and equitable healthcare for all Sierra Leoneans,” the minister declared.
The summit also emphasized the Ministry’s guiding principles—Access, Accountable Governance, Affordability, and All People—and the importance of strengthening primary healthcare alongside secondary and tertiary services through investments in human resources, infrastructure, and supply chains.
Progress and Challenges
UN Resident Coordinator Fredrick Ampiah praised Sierra Leone for aligning its health strategies with global frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030). He highlighted major advancements in maternal and child health, noting a 79% reduction in maternal mortality since 2000, with figures dropping from 730 deaths per 100,000 live births to 354 in 2023.
Similarly, under-five mortality rates have improved, and the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) index has risen from 27 in 2010 to 41—driven by progress in immunization, nutrition, and disease control.
Despite these achievements, challenges remain. Chair of the Parliamentary Health Committee, Hon. Wuyatta Songa, stressed the need to update outdated health laws and address issues such as low wages for healthcare workers, inadequate sanitation, and delayed financial disbursements to health facilities. She called for a domestic health trust fund and a national health insurance scheme to reduce reliance on international funding.
Development partners also raised concerns about healthcare workforce shortages, particularly a critical lack of surgeons in rural areas, and urged the government to strengthen epidemic response mechanisms amid ongoing Mpox cases.
Looking Ahead
The summit concluded with a Performance Awards Ceremony, recognizing healthcare facilities and districts for excellence in service delivery. Stakeholders reaffirmed their dedication to improving health outcomes, with a call for faster legislative action to ensure the effective implementation of policies such as the Universal Health Coverage Act and Social Health Insurance Scheme.
With growing momentum from the summit, Sierra Leone’s healthcare sector is poised for transformative change—focusing on equity, innovation, and sustainability to achieve long-term national and global health goals.