Cuts In Maternal Deaths by 31% but Six Mothers Die in One Week
Sierra Leone has achieved a 31.3 percent reduction in maternal deaths compared to the same period last year, according to new figures released by the Ministry of Health. However, health officials caution that challenges remain, following the deaths of six mothers nationwide in a single week.
Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby presented the data during a stakeholder meeting at City Hall in Freetown, attended by health personnel, local council officials, community leaders, and international partners representing Western Area Urban and Western Area Rural districts.
The forum served as a progress review for the government’s 300 Days of Activism for Triple Zero campaign. The initiative aims to eradicate preventable maternal mortality, eliminate preventable child deaths, and reach all zero-dose children who have never received routine immunizations.
In addition to the drop in maternal mortality, child deaths declined by 12.7 percent compared to the previous year. Vaccination outreach also exceeded initial targets, delivering immunizations to 10,294 previously unvaccinated children—achieving 114 percent of the campaign goal.
Despite these gains, Dr. Demby emphasized that preventable fatalities remain a critical issue, pointing out that the six maternal deaths reported in Week 42 could have been avoided with timely medical intervention.
“Every one of these deaths represents a family changed forever,” the Minister said, reaffirming the campaign’s ambition of achieving zero preventable deaths.
The Ministry identified post-partum hemorrhage, uterine rupture, and systemic infections as the primary clinical drivers of maternal fatalities. Child mortality was largely attributed to malaria, sepsis, and respiratory infections.
Systemic hurdles also continue to hinder progress. Delays in seeking care, inefficient referral communications, acute shortages of essential medicines and blood supplies, and gaps in healthcare worker preparedness were cited as key contributing factors.
Dr. Demby further highlighted institutional misconduct within health facilities, cautioning that patient neglect, disrespectful treatment, and demands for unofficial fees severely erode public trust in healthcare services.
Rather than placing sole blame on communities for delayed healthcare seeking, the Minister urged medical leadership to address internal institutional failures and enforce standards that guarantee dignity, respect, and high-quality clinical care for all patients.
With 58 days remaining in the Triple Zero campaign, health professionals were called upon to prioritize actionable, life-saving measures and prioritize patient welfare above administrative metrics.
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