By Foday Moriba Conteh

Victor Lansana Koroma, Executive Director of Health Alert, has made a passionate appeal for greater Government funding toward vaccination programs and primary health care services. His call came during the ongoing bilateral budget discussions hosted by the Ministry of Finance, following the Ministry of Health’s presentation of its Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

The Executive Director emphasized that sustained investment in those critical areas is essential to strengthening Sierra Leone’s health system, improving access to care and safeguarding vulnerable populations, especially children and rural communities. He urged policymakers to prioritize preventative health measures and community-level interventions, warning that underfunding could undermine national health outcomes and reverse hard-won progress.

While commending the Ministry of Health for its achievements in reducing maternal mortality and expanding services, Victor Lansana Koroma raised serious concerns about the Government’s commitment to health financing. He stressed that Sierra Leone is still falling short of the Abuja Declaration target, which calls for at least 15% of national budgets to be allocated to health and pointed out that despite allocations, actual disbursements remain low, with only about 30% of approved funds released in the last budget cycle. “If you allocate and do not disburse, then what’s the point?” he asked, describing the gap as a major obstacle to effective service delivery.

Victor Lansana Koroma further highlighted challenges in meeting co-financing obligations for immunization, nutrition and family planning, warning that Sierra Leone’s contribution to the Gavi immunization program covers less than 40% of projected needs. He cautioned that this shortfall could cause vaccine procurement delays.

On primary health care, Victor Lansana Koroma acknowledged the ongoing devolution to local councils but insisted that ultimate responsibility rests with the Ministry of Health. He called for stronger monitoring systems, recalling that unannounced facility inspections by senior officials once kept staff accountable.

He appealed to both the Ministry of Finance and Parliament to approve and adequately fund the health budget, stressing that “no sector can thrive without health.”

On his part, Dr. Charles Senessie, Minister of Health I, outlined the Ministry’s 2026 health plan, which adopts a holistic, life-stage approach from conception to old age. He said the strategy focuses on four key pillars: infrastructure development, human resource management, drugs and supply chain and diagnostics.

Highlighting progress, Dr. Charles Senessie noted that maternal mortality, once among the highest globally, has been reduced by nearly 79% since 2015. He expressed optimism that, with innovative digital tools now tracking thousands of pregnancies, Sierra Leone could achieve zero preventable maternal deaths by 2030.

He also stressed that 80% of investments are being directed at the community level to strengthen disease prevention and treatment closer to citizens, citing the expansion of mobile clinics, ambulances and referral systems.

Other priorities outlined in the presentation include:

- Expanding renewable energy and digital infrastructure in hospitals for real-time data management.


- Recruiting over 3,000 new health workers and strengthening postgraduate training.


- Enhancing accountability in drug distribution through the new “End Supply” app.


- Reducing reliance on overseas medical referrals by upgrading diagnostic facilities locally.

Dr. Charles Senessie concluded by stressing that Sierra Leone now has a home-grown health plan aligned with national priorities. “Any country without its own health plan risks adopting plans from others. We now have a clear vision to build a stronger, more resilient and equitable healthcare system for all Sierra Leoneans,” he affirmed. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/health-alert-urges-greater-government-funding-for-vaccination-and-primary-health-care/