AYV News, June 17, 2026
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, has held a high-level bilateral engagement with the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Diene Keita, on the margins of the 34th International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Congress.
The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration to reduce maternal mortality and enhance investments in midwifery as a critical component of maternal and newborn health in Sierra Leone and across Africa.
Dr. Keita commended Sierra Leone for achieving a remarkable 79% reduction in maternal mortality, declining from 1,682 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 354 in 2023. She also praised the Government’s sustained commitment to improving maternal and child health outcomes, describing Sierra Leone as one of UNFPA’s global Midwifery Accelerator Champion Countries.
Minister Demby highlighted ongoing health sector reforms in Sierra Leone, emphasising the use of real-time data systems, including the maternal and child health Situation Room and the PReSTrack platform, to strengthen decision-making and service delivery.
He stressed that data must go beyond collection, noting that it should be effectively utilised to inform policy decisions, improve resource allocation, enhance accountability, and ultimately save lives.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in advancing maternal health outcomes and strengthening health systems resilience in Sierra Leone and beyond.
