Health Minister Demby Meets UNECA Delegation Over Sustainable Healthcare Financing
Health Minister Dr Austin Demby has met with a delegation from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to discuss sustainable financing options for Sierra Leone’s health sector, including a proposed basic package of healthcare services that would be free at the point of care.
The meeting, held in Freetown on 12 October 2026, focused on supporting the government’s ongoing health financing reforms and identifying domestic funding mechanisms to sustain essential healthcare services.
Under the proposed model, essential healthcare services would be provided free at the point of care, alongside a complementary contributory health insurance package. The approach is intended to improve access to treatment while reducing the financial burden on households when family members fall ill.
According to the Ministry of Health, representatives from the Ministries of Health, Finance, and Planning and Economic Development are working with UNECA this week to assess the financial requirements of the proposed reforms and identify sustainable ways to fund them using domestic resources.
The discussions form part of broader efforts to strengthen the financial foundation of Sierra Leone’s healthcare system and ensure the long-term delivery of essential services across the country.
The proposed reforms are also linked to efforts to accelerate progress towards the government’s Triple Zero campaign, which focuses on preventing maternal and child deaths.
The Ministry noted that the recent 300 Days of Activism highlighted the importance of leadership, timely data and frontline action in improving health outcomes.
Sustainable healthcare financing is expected to support these efforts by helping ensure that essential services remain accessible to people who need them, while reducing the financial pressures associated with illness.
The engagement with UNECA represents a further step in the government’s efforts to develop a health financing system capable of sustaining service delivery and protecting households from healthcare-related financial hardship.
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