Médecins Sans Frontières - Mile 91 - Enhancing access to maternal health care in Sierra Leone

Unique Identifier Code / URN MSB167660

Date taken / Date Recorded 12/07/2023 11:41 AM

Country Sierra Leone

Detailed location Mile 91

Commissioning section MSF-NETHERLANDS

Photographer / videographer / producer Saidu Bah

Copyright Saidu Bah

Usage Rights (MSF) External Media, MSF Fundraising, MSF Publications, Social Media

Formal Consent Copy available yes

Project section OCA

Editor's rating ★★★ (F)

Maximum Size 3696px × 2456px 1.33 MB

Additional Information / Shotlist Maternal Deaths in Sierra Leone is high with a rate of 443 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to WHO’s 2020 statistics. One of the major barriers to accessing maternal health services in Sierra Leone is the referral system, which is dysfunctional and does not cover the high needs. Besides, most pregnant women can’t afford paying for alternative transportation methods to the health centers or the referral hospitals, which usually are far away from their homes and communities.
To support those women and try to lower maternal mortality in the country, MSF works with the Ministry of Health in Mile 91 and Magburaka areas (Tonkolili District) and Kenema District. MSF supports primary and secondary health facilities; as well as implement a medical referral system through MSF ambulances for patients facing medical emergencies. MSF ambulances transport women and children from the lower level of primary healthcare at Peripheral Health Units (PHU), to higher level care (Community Health Centers – CHC) and, if necessary to Secondary Healthcare facilities, like the Magburaka and Kenema Government hospitals. In 2019 the MSF Mother and Child Hospital was constructed in Hangha, Kenema district to respond to paediatric and maternal emergency healthcare needs. MSF provides medical care, particularly to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under the age of 5.