Sierra Leone News

Sierra Leone commemorated World Malaria Day 2016 with the launched of four strategic national malaria control policy documents during an event that attracted partners, government officials and the general public.

The documents included:

In order to address some of the staffing challenges that affect Sierra Leone's health sector, a two-day summit attended by technical and policy experts from around the world was held in Freetown, Sierra Leone from 2-3 June 2016. The summit, organized by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation with support from the World Health Organization and the Clinton Health Access Initiative aimed to lay a foundation to improve human resources for health in Sierra Leone . 

FREETOWN, 5 June 2015 – The year-long Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone has had a negative impact on basic health services, especially maternal and child health, with opportunistic childhood diseases such as measles and polio continuing to challenge an already overstretched system.
So, while continuing to support the push to zero new Ebola cases, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO and other development partners, continues to work to restore basic health services – one of the Government’s priorities in the early recovery from the health emergency.

Mr. Chairman

The Vice President Republic of Sierra Leone

Minister of Health & Sanitation

Representatives from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation

Representatives from the Local Council

Colleagues from the United Nations

Members of the media

Ladies and Gentlemen

On behalf of the United Nations in Sierra Leone, I would like to express my pleasure and gratitude to be here with you today and to speak on the occasion of the launch of the Measles and Polio Immunization Campaign.

A global report titled “Mental Health Funding and the SDGs: What now and who pays?” was launched in, Freetown, Sierra Leone on 21 June 2016. The report prepared by Jessica MacKenzie of UK’s Overseas Development Institute was commissioned by the World Health Organization and the Mental Health Innovation Network with funding from Grand Challenges Canada. The Report highlights current mental health funding partners, funding gaps and potential new funders that could potentially improve access and quality of mental health services around the world.

9 July 2015 -- In Sierra Leone’s Magazine Wharf community, people distrust the services set up to tackle Ebola. When ambulances arrive to take away those who are ill, patients, their families, and their neighbours fear they will never return or they will be mistreated. So, WHO and its partners held a demonstration to reassure communities.
The WHO team worked with partner teams from Handicap International, the Social Mobilization Action Coalition (SMAC) and UNICEF. One team acted out the different steps taken to ensure that ambulances take people safely from home to health facility. 

Five days of Immunization Activities to deliver integrated maternal and child health services to all pregnant women and children less than five years ended today in Sierra Leone. The campaign known as Maternal and Child Health Week is undertaken twice annually by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to improve access and the quality of maternal and child health services in Sierra Leone.

Flooding from torrential rainfall is the most common form of natural disaster in Sierra Leone and regularly causes significant  damage and harms people's health, especially in poor communities and settlements. A new national flood emergency and response plan is now under development to help ensure the country is better prepared to prevent and manage floods.

Mental health service delivery remains challenging in Sierra Leone and critical gaps in staffing mean thousands are unable to access the services they need. Steps are now being taken to increase psychosocial support available within communities and health facilities.
With a population of 7,000,000 people, Sierra Leone only has two psychiatrists, two Clinical Psychologists, and 19 Mental Health Nurses. Just four nurses have specialized in Child and Adolescent mental health.

Sierra Leone has one of the highest burdens of malaria in the world. The country's entire population is at risk of the disease and it is one of Sierra Leone’s leading causes of death and illness. Our photo essay explores progress in reducing malaria cases and impacts in the West African country.