AYV News, September 12, 2025
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, has said the country has achieved a 76% reduction in Maternal Mortality, noting the development as one of the fastest declines globally.
He said Infant Survival has also improved significantly, while vaccination coverage has remained consistently above 95% over the last five years.
Dr. Austin Demby said, “Sierra Leone has made major strides in tackling Mpox. From over 5,200 reported cases at the peak, we are now recording single-digit cases daily, with several days of zero cases nationwide. On human resources, I can confirmed that 5,000 new health workers have already been recruited, and an additional 3,000 positions are now open through a transparent electronic recruitment portal”.
He said this system, developed with the Health Service Commission and HRMO, ensures that only qualified candidates are considered—ending the old practice of influence-based recruitment.
He added, “This is an exciting opportunity to build a competent and professional health workforce, based purely on merit. The reforms are part of the government’s commitment to universal health coverage and improved service delivery”.
He thanked President Julius Maada Bio and the Ministry of Finance for their continued support in financing these reforms, noting that Sierra Leone is “on the right path to delivering quality healthcare for every citizen.”
