By Foday Moriba Conteh

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with development partners, concluded the 2025 National Health Summit and Performance Award on Saturday, May 17, at the Bintumani Conference Centre in Freetown. The three-day event, held from May 15–17, brought together healthcare stakeholders from across Sierra Leone to evaluate progress, share innovations and chart a collaborative path towards a resilient, people-centered healthcare system.

In his opening address, Health Minister, Dr. Austin Demby, described the summit as a "reunification of Sierra Leone’s health family," involving participants from all districts from Bo to Kambia. He emphasized a shift from fragmented; donor-driven interventions to a nationally owned system driven by community needs and shared responsibility.

Dr. Austin Demby highlighted the Life Stages model, a new approach to healthcare delivery that supports individuals throughout their entire life from birth to old age. He stressed the importance of collaboration and officially launched three strategic documents:

- 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 are the backbone of our renewed commitment to accessible and equitable healthcare for all Sierra Leoneans,” Dr. Austin Demby stated.

Throughout the summit, Dr. Austin Demby reinforced the Ministry’s guiding principles; the “Four A’s”:

- Accountability to the people


- Alignment of partners and programs


- Acceleration of reforms


- Accompaniment or walking the journey together

In his closing remarks, Dr. Austin Demby called on all stakeholders to sustain the momentum. “Let this be more than a summit. Let it be a turning point. May histories say that in May 2025, we came together and said: ‘We will do better, together.’”

He emphasized the importance of strengthening primary care while investing in secondary and tertiary systems, building a robust health workforce, reinforcing infrastructure and supply chains.

Fredrick Ampiah, UN Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, commended the Government’s alignment of its health goals with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030). He highlighted significant strides in maternal and child health, noting a 79% reduction in maternal mortality from 730 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 354 in 2023. This trajectory positions the country to achieve its target of fewer than 300 deaths by 2025.

Under-five mortality has also declined and the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) service index has increased from 27 to 41 since 2010, driven by gains in immunization, nutrition and disease control.

The UN Resident Coordinator praised Sierra Leone’s global health contributions, including sending rapid responders to Rwanda during the Marburg outbreak and maintaining strong Mpox preparedness.

He called for fast-tracking the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill and strengthening the Free Health Care Initiative and Social Health Insurance Scheme, pledging the UN’s continued support under a unified planning and reporting framework.

Hon. Wuyata Songa, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Health Committee, reaffirmed Parliament’s role in supporting the health sector through legislation and oversight. She cited the passage of seven major laws including the Nurses and Midwifery Act and the “Loss In and We Do Free” Act as key milestones.

However, she cautioned that without implementation particularly operational autonomy for nurses and midwives these laws may fall short of their goals. She highlighted several challenges observed during recent oversight visits:

- Delayed fund disbursements to hospitals


- Low salaries and poor working conditions for health workers


- Sanitation lapses due to underperforming cleaning contractors

“I wish the Minister of Finance was here,” she remarked, stressing the link between funding and healthcare delivery. She advocated for a domestic health trust fund and a national health insurance scheme to reduce reliance on foreign healthcare.

Yohana Dukhan, Chair of the Health Development Partners, applauded the summit’s theme: “Improving Health Outcomes for All – Every Sierra Leonean Life Matters.” She acknowledged Sierra Leone’s achievements in maternal and child health but noted that health improvements remain uneven, particularly across income and geographic lines.

“Despite progress, Sierra Leone still lags behind regional averages for low-income and sub-Saharan African countries,” she warned.

Yohana Dukhan highlighted additional gains:

- A drop in maternal deaths from 443 per 100,000 in 2020 to 354 in 2023


- Declines in under-five, infant, and neonatal mortality

These gains, she said, are thanks to strong Government leadership and innovative policies like the life-stage approach. However, she raised concerns about health worker shortages, revealing that 50% of frontline clinical staff are non-salaried, according to a study by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

She urged investment in health workforce retention, infrastructure, essential medicines and sustainable financing. Out-of-pocket spending still represents 51% of health expenditure, a barrier to achieving UHC.

Yohana Dukhan  said the proposed Universal Health Coverage Act—which integrates free healthcare and insurance—offers promise but must be backed by increased domestic funding and innovative partnerships.

She also noted the country’s vulnerability to epidemics. As of May 14, Sierra Leone had reported 2,204 confirmed cases and 13 deaths from the ongoing Mpox outbreak, further emphasizing the need for epidemic-ready systems and support for the National Public Health Agency.

The summit featured deep-dive sessions on the Life Stages Approach, Mpox response, and health education. Participants discussed district-level innovations, health financing strategies, and systemic reforms.

As the summit concluded, participants left not with mere applause but with a renewed resolve to transform healthcare in Sierra Leone. Stakeholders agreed on the urgent need for coordination, coherence, and concrete results. The summit reinforced a common vision: healthcare that is inclusive, equitable, and sustainable for every Sierra Leonean. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/ministry-of-health-ends-three-day-summit-with-renewed-resolve-to-deliver-sustainable-health-solutions/