FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, 11 April 2022- In April, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation convened the first ever National Health Summit hosted under the theme Transforming Health Service Delivery Towards Universal Health Coverage. The Summit which brought together various stakeholders aimed to review the challenges faced by the health sector in the country, identify actions that will help transform the health service delivery system, and map out productive ways for working with partners in the sector to achieve optimal health benefits for the people of Sierra Leone.

Officially opening the Summit, President Julius Maada Bio noted that the theme of the summit resonated with the Government’s overall development goals and was fully aligned to the international commitments the country has made to work toward Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the same event, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Babatunde Ahonsi reiterated the UN system’s support to sustaining and strengthening the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to transform health service delivery.

As a key partner to Government in the realization of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, UNFPA led discussions on the Approaches to implementing the Life Stages Model of Service Delivery with a focus on reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health. Leading the plenary discussions, Maternal health and midwifery Programme Specialist, Stephen Mupeta underscored the need for holistic policy and investment strategies that promote better health outcomes and health equity in the population.