FREETOWN Sierra Leone, 7 April 2025 —On World Health Day 2025, Sierra Leone marked a major milestone in its fight to end preventable maternal deaths, with the country’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) reducing by 79% — from 1,682 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 354 in 2023. 

According to the latest UN Estimates on maternal mortality estimates, Sierra Leone’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) declined from 443 to 354 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2020 and 2023. This achievement brings the country closer to its ambitious target of reducing MMR below 300 by the end of 2025, thanks to strengthened health systems, targeted investments, and strong leadership from the Ministry of Health with the support of various partners including UNFPA

Every maternal death is a tragedy;  thus this progress is proof that transformative change is possible when we prioritize women’s health,” said UNFPA Officer-in-charge Ms. Sibeso Mululuma. “Together with the Government of Sierra Leone and our partners, we are investing in what works — from expanding access to skilled care to using data for accountability — to move toward a future where no woman dies giving life.

According to Hon. Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, Sierra Leone’s approach is anchored in four core pillars: expanding primary health care, strengthening secondary and tertiary health facilities, improving referral systems, and ensuring emergency preparedness.

Today, 85% of the population live within 5 km of a health facility, and innovations such as PresTrack, a national pregnancy tracking system, are strengthening accountability and coverage. Decentralized blood transfusion services in Freetown, Bo, and Makeni, as well as investments in emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), are also helping save lives. The reduction of MMR by 79% from 1,682 per 100,000 live births in 2000 to current 354 per 100,000 live births is a commendable improvement, said Minister Demby. 

Sierra Leone’s progress is part of a broader global effort. During her address to the 58th Session of the Commission on Population and Development on 7 April 2025 in New York, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Ms. Kenyeh Barlay, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage and advancing human capital development through inclusive healthcare policies.

In a statement representing 78 countries, the Minister emphasized the importance of the ICPD’s goals in promoting health and equality for all people worldwide:

A healthier population is central to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The ICPD’s Programme of Action has guided countries toward inclusive, equitable policies advancing health and gender equality. By strengthening health systems and addressing inequalities, we can work toward a world where all people can live healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives." 

On the same day,  UNFPA and global partners officially launched the Midwifery Accelerator — a new initiative to reverse preventable maternal deaths by scaling up midwife-led care.

The launch follows sobering new data showing that 260,000 women died from pregnancy or childbirth in 2023, or one every two minutes. While this marks a 40% drop since 2000, progress has slowed and remains deeply unequal, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings with 70% of deaths  during pregnancy and childbirth occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa.

We can and must end preventable maternal deaths,” said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. We now need to step up what works: skilled midwives, quality care, and strong political commitment. This new initiative is about delivering on all three with the urgency they deserve.

Co-led by UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, ICM and Jhpiego, the Midwifery Accelerator provides a coordinated roadmap to train, deploy, and support more midwives — particularly in countries with the highest burden. It reinforces UNFPA’s global leadership, having helped over 120 countries strengthen midwifery and supported the training of over 600,000 midwives since 2008, including over 1800 in Sierra Leone .

Sierra Leone is one of the champion countries to embrace the Midwifery Accelerator initiative for midwifery model of care demonstrating political will and technical leadership.

Despite their impact, midwives remain undervalued, underfunded, and under-deployed,” said Julia Bunting, Director of Programmes at UNFPA. “Yet universal access to midwives could prevent over 60% of maternal and newborn deaths. Now is the time for governments and donors to step up.

As global partners rally around this new roadmap, Sierra Leone stands as both a success story and a call to action — proving that with the right investments and commitment, healthy beginnings and hopeful futures are within reach.

Still, 354 deaths per 100,000 live births is far too many - about three maternal deaths per day. Behind each number is a woman, a family, a future lost. We must do more.

UNFPA calls on all stakeholders — governments, donors, communities, and the private sector — to renew their commitment to maternal health.  We must build on this momentum, close the remaining gaps, and bring the number of preventable maternal deaths down to zero.