By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, August 7, 2025 — In a landmark address at the State Opening of the Third Session of the Sixth Parliament, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio unveiled sweeping improvements in Sierra Leone’s healthcare system, emphasizing resilience, inclusivity, and dignity in care.
Speaking at the Parliament Building in Tower Hill, Freetown, President Bio declared, “A nation’s wealth means little if its people are unhealthy. No mother should die while giving life. No child should die due to a lack of care.”
The President announced a 2% increase in domestic health spending and highlighted the expansion of services to every district. The Sierra Leone Social Health Insurance Scheme is now helping reduce out-of-pocket costs for citizens.
Key infrastructure developments include: The newly built 166-bed Julius Maada Bio Paediatric Centre of Excellence in Lumley; Modernised regional and district hospitals; ambulances deployed across all 16 districts; and Oxygen plants installed in regional hospitals to support critical care.
Sierra Leone’s healthcare workforce has grown by 15%, now exceeding 14,000 personnel. Medical school enrolment has doubled, and over 40 doctors are undergoing specialist training through the Postgraduate College of Health Specialties.
The National Public Health Agency and a real-time disease surveillance system have also been instrumental in detecting outbreaks swiftly and coordinating effective responses.
President Bio reported a dramatic 70% reduction in maternal and newborn deaths, alongside improved immunisation coverage nationwide. Rural health centres are now powered by off-grid solar systems, enabling safe night deliveries and proper vaccine storage.
In January, Sierra Leone recorded its first case of Mpox. The government responded immediately by activating emergency systems, decentralising testing, and training health workers. As of today, there is no active outbreak, though surveillance remains vigilant.
“Healthcare is about dignity, survival, and hope,” President Bio concluded, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to building a system that serves every citizen, regardless of location or income.