Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr Austin Demby, has highlighted the country’s progress in child health and immunisation during a keynote speech at a global health forum in Mozambique.
Speaking at the Global Forum on Innovation and Action for Immunisation and Child Survival, Dr Demby outlined Sierra Leone’s efforts to reduce child mortality and improve healthcare systems, drawing attention from international health leaders and development partners.
The three-day conference, held in Maputo, brought together government officials, policymakers, and global health advocates. It was co-hosted by the governments of Sierra Leone and Mozambique, with support from UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Spain’s la Caixa Foundation. The forum aimed to accelerate access to vaccines and reduce preventable child deaths in low- and middle-income countries.
Dr Demby presented Sierra Leone’s achievements as part of its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 3 – to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages. He acknowledged the ongoing challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for over half of the world’s under-five deaths, according to 2021 data.
He pointed to preventable diseases such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea and meningitis – often worsened by malnutrition and weak health systems – as key contributors to child deaths in the region.
Outlining the country’s approach, Dr Demby described Sierra Leone’s “Four A’s” strategy: Accompaniment through community partnerships, Alignment across sectors, Acceleration in healthcare delivery, and Accountability through transparent monitoring.
In 2023, Sierra Leone declared maternal and child survival a national emergency. Drawing on lessons from the Ebola and COVID-19 responses, the government has since increased domestic health spending and introduced new oversight mechanisms to improve outcomes.
Dr Demby also held discussions with Graça Machel, former First Lady of Mozambique and South Africa, on strengthening collaboration to improve child health across Africa.
He urged African governments to set bold national targets and establish platforms to regularly assess progress on immunisation and child survival. He credited recent progress in Sierra Leone to President Julius Maada Bio’s Human Capital Development initiative.
Figures from Sierra Leone’s Health Ministry show a 53% reduction in under-five mortality and a 38% decrease in neonatal deaths. Officials say these gains are the result of health sector reforms, community involvement and sustained political commitment.
“We have the tools. We have the science – vaccines, diagnostics and treatments. What we need now is equitable access and sustained investment,” Dr Demby told delegates.
The forum concluded with a joint commitment to make child survival and immunisation a priority across the continent’s development agenda.
