Latest news with #Freetown
Zawya
5 days ago
- Health
- Zawya
Sierra Leone moves closer to Universal Health Coverage with high-level engagement on draft Sierra Leone Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SLAUHC) Bill
Sierra Leone has taken a critical step toward advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with the convening of a high-level policy dialogue on the draft Sierra Leone Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SLAUHC) Bill. Organized on 6 May 2025 by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the one-day engagement brought together over 60 senior leaders in Freetown, including ministers, directors, and technical heads from across the health sector. The proposed SLAUHC Bill outlines the establishment of a dedicated agency that will integrate and manage two major national health financing mechanisms, the Free Healthcare Initiative (FHCI) and the Sierra Leone Social Health Insurance Scheme (SLeSHI). The unified governance structure aims to address current fragmentation, improve the efficiency of health financing, and accelerate the country's progress toward achieving UHC. 'This Bill is a transformative step in Sierra Leone's journey toward sustainable health financing,' said Dr. Ibrahim F. Kamara, speaking on behalf of the WHO Country Representative. 'It will strengthen institutional capacity, enhance accountability, and ensure equitable access to health services, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.' The engagement served three key objectives: a comprehensive review of the draft legislation, consensus-building among stakeholders, and alignment with the Ministry of Health's UHC Roadmap and SLeSHI implementation framework. The outcome is a consolidated and informed policy position ahead of the bill's submission to the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC). Chief Medical Officer Dr Sartie Kenneh emphasized the importance of a comprehensive and inclusive approach to UHC: 'the name and scope of the bill must reflect the broader dimensions required to achieve UHC. While health financing is a critical pillar, it is only one part of the equation. No healthcare service is truly free, while it may be free at the point of delivery, someone ultimately bears the cost. Therefore, we must collectively design a sustainable health financing model that ensures long-term viability. It is also prudent to allow the Free Healthcare Initiative and the Social Health Insurance Scheme to operate in tandem, to optimize coverage and ensure the full spectrum of healthcare costs is addressed.' The proposed SLAUHC Agency responds to longstanding structural challenges in the health financing landscape. Currently, out-of-pocket payments account for 56% of total health expenditure, well above the sub-Saharan Africa average of 30%. Less than 1% of Sierra Leone's population is covered by any social health protection scheme, exposing many to catastrophic health spending and pushing households further into poverty. Moreover, with 75% of health financing reliant on donor contributions, ensuring coherence with national priorities remains a pressing issue. The draft bill is grounded in the Ministry's Health Financing Strategy 2021–2025, which calls for the creation of a Universal Health Coverage Fund, integration with SLeSHI, and the development of operational and regulatory systems to support long-term health sector sustainability. WHO has reaffirmed its full technical support to the Ministry in the finalization and operationalization of the SLAUHC Bill. This includes support for institutional design, capacity strengthening, cost-containment mechanisms, and the establishment of care quality and priority-setting frameworks. Once enacted, the SLAUHC Agency will serve as a central institution for resource mobilization, regulation of financial flows, and oversight of major health benefit programs. It is expected to play a pivotal role in improving efficiency, transparency, and equity in health service delivery. This high-level dialogue marks a significant milestone in Sierra Leone's health sector reform agenda. It paves the way for the establishment of a National Health Insurance Scheme and reinforces the country's commitment to achieving health for all, leaving no one behind. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.
Mail & Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
How US conservatives use religious outreach to shape African policy
The underlying message being pushed is a narrow, conservative ideology: Be, heterosexual, traditional. Reject feminism. Reject LGBTQ rights. Photo: Antonio Bronic/Reuters On 26 and 27 June, the Bintumani International Conference Centre in Freetown On the surface, it was a celebration of unity. Beneath it, though, lay a strategic campaign by a US-based religious organisation to embed a specific brand of conservative American theology into African cultural narratives. The soft language of empowerment masked an ideological demand. This isn't new. In 2024, LDS held Preaching power through local mouthpieces What made the Freetown event especially effective was its reliance on local voices to legitimise its message. From the opening to to the closing prayer, the conference amplified a Mormon worldview through African public figures On day 1, LDS Elder Kenneth Pambu opened with inclusive-sounding language: 'Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and caring home.' But his definition of the ideal family quickly narrowed: a heterosexual, nuclear unit rooted in divine order, guided by strict gender roles. Later, a speaker warned, 'The digital world is teaching our children values we do not agree with.' The message was clear. Modernity equals danger. Tradition, as defined by the Mormons, equals safety. Catholic Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles echoed rhetoric from the 2019 Ghana conference, warning of a curriculum that 'sexualises' students and condemning foreign aid tied to LGBTQ rights. The crowd cheered. An Islamic leader added, 'Family is a combination between a male and a female. There is no he, she or she-he.' Cloaked in cultural pride, this rhetoric erased all Sierra Leoneans outside the sexual or gender binary. It's a recurring pattern. One group of wealthy white outsiders empowers local conservatives to criticise another group of white outsiders for allegedly corrupting African values. The irony is met not with resistance but with applause. First lady Fatima Maada Bio, a popular figure praised for her advocacy for women and girls, framed the event as a national imperative. 'This partnership is not just about religion. It's about restoring hope, dignity and values.' Her announcement of a new safe house for survivors of gender-based violence, an LDS–first lady collaboration, was met with thunderous applause. Such a resource is vital. Yet its framing raised questions. Will women have to accept Mormon doctrine to access lifesaving services? Will only certain women — married, respectable, God-fearing — be welcomed? A digital Trojan horse The LDS church is strategic in Africa. It does not lead with doctrine. It leads with scholarships, media, partnerships and food drives. From glossy brochures to high-definition testimonials, it appears tech-savvy and community-minded. But beneath the polish is a clear ideology. Be faithful, obedient, heterosexual, traditional. Reject feminism. Reject LGBTQ rights. Reject sex education and intellectual inquiry. Focus on your family and stay quiet about policy shifts and corruption. The LDS church doesn't attack activism outright. It elevates modesty, family and tradition as cultural revival. To question this is framed as rejecting your roots. This is not overt coercion. It is something more insidious — a foreign ideology dressed in local attire. An imported theology, marketed as a return to African values. The conference didn't just celebrate families. It defined them. And, in doing so, it excluded structures and identities that don't fit LDS or conservative norms. The real cost of moral policing Let's be clear. This is not an argument against faith. Religion remains a cornerstone of African life. It can uplift, protect and unify. But when faith becomes a vessel for narrow definitions of womanhood, family and morality, it ceases to be spiritual. It becomes political. And when it defines who is worthy of protection, who is moral and who is 'truly African', it becomes a neocolonial tool of division. This should concern all of us. The danger of what we saw at the Freetown conference lies not only in what's said but in what's omitted: the single mother, the blended family, the outspoken or non-conformist child. When these realities are erased, the LDS church isn't just shaping culture. It is scripting the future. Who suffers when the future being built in our name doesn't reflect us at all? The next 'strengthening families' conference is scheduled for Liberia in June 2026. If Freetown was any indication, our Liberian colleagues must luk insai dis tin ya so (examine something closely). Ask who is speaking to us. Who is speaking for us? And what harm will be caused by what is left unsaid? Mina Bilkis is a feminist storyteller and digital rights researcher in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Famia Nkansa is a writer, editor and communications consultant.
Zawya
6 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Qatar's Minister Of Labor Pays Courtesy Visit To Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, Reaffirms Bilateral Cooperation
The Minister of Labor of the State of Qatar, Dr. Ali Bin Sammikh Marri, paid a courtesy call on His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio at State House in Freetown, reaffirming his country's commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation with Sierra Leone, particularly in the areas of labor and employment. Introducing the visiting delegation, Sierra Leone's Minister of Labor and Employment, Mr. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, informed the President that the Qatari Minister was on an official visit to explore ways to expand collaboration between the two nations' labor sectors. 'Your Excellency, I am pleased to introduce my counterpart, the Minister of Labor from Qatar, who is here to engage with us on strategic collaboration and deepen the ties between our two ministries,' Minister Swaray stated. In his remarks, Dr. Ali Bin Sammikh Marri thanked President Bio for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation. He recounted his early academic exposure to Sierra Leone more than 30 years ago, noting with delight that he had finally visited the country he once studied. 'It is a pleasure to be in Sierra Leone,' he said. 'Over 30 years ago, as a student, I was asked to write about Sierra Leone. Today, I am here in person, as Qatar's Minister of Labor, to explore collaboration, especially in labor market policies. With Your Excellency now serving as Chairman of ECOWAS, we see an opportunity to align with your leadership in regional labor development and cooperation.' Minister Marri also conveyed a message of congratulations on behalf of the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to President Bio on his recent election as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. 'I bring you fraternal greetings and congratulations from your brother, the Emir of Qatar, on your recent appointment. We appreciate your hospitality and look forward to strengthening our bilateral ties,' he concluded. In his response, President Bio warmly welcomed the Qatari Labor Minister and expressed appreciation for the visit and message from the Emir of Qatar. He noted that it was particularly meaningful that Dr. Marri, after writing about Sierra Leone three decades ago, was now visiting the country as a high-level representative of Qatar. 'Thank you very much for visiting. On behalf of the Government and people of Sierra Leone, we welcome you,' President Bio said. 'We have had a growing relationship with Qatar and look forward to expanding cooperation, especially in agriculture, education, and the digital economy, areas where we are investing heavily and seeing meaningful progress.' President Bio also welcomed the opportunity to explore broader labor collaboration across the ECOWAS region during his tenure as Chairman and emphasized the importance of leveraging international partnerships to advance a common African interest. 'It is an exciting moment to lead ECOWAS, and I see it as an opportunity to further engage the international community on shared priorities for West Africa,' he concluded. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Sierra Leone.
Zawya
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
7th edition of Strengthening Families Conference (SFC) champions women's empowerment and child protection across Sierra Leone
The 7th edition of the Strengthening Families Conference (SFC) ( 2025 unfolded in Freetown as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and collaborators joined government leaders, faith communities, and civil society to champion women's empowerment and child protection across Sierra Leone. The two-day conference officially opened on Thursday, June 26 at the Bintumani International Conference Centre under the theme 'Building Stronger Communities through Women Empowerment and Child Protection'. Delivering the keynote address on the first day, Her Excellency the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Madam Fatima Maada Bio, stated that the conference presented a unique platform to drive lasting change and consequently challenged stakeholders to turn dialogue into action. 'Let me use this as a call to us all to not let this be just a conference. Let us use this platform to design policies that will make women change-makers in our society,' she urged. She emphasized that promoting women's empowerment should not be reduced to tokenism, as genuinely empowering women has tangible and far-reaching effects. 'Women are agents of transformation. They build up the families, and our families are what build up our society,' the First Lady added. Representing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Isaac K. Morrison, General Authority Seventy and Second Counselor in the Africa West Area Presidency, echoed this conviction, highlighting the role of women in the home and across various facets of society. 'Women create harmonious and resilient communities. We need more women of virtue, purity, and empowerment, and this begins with the family,' he said. Other dignitaries reinforced the shared mission. Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles, President of the Inter-Religious Council, described empowerment as a spiritual responsibility, and consequently, must be spearheaded by religious institutions. 'Religious institutions must champion gender equality and child welfare,' he noted. Traditional leader Sheku Amadu Tejan Fasuluku-Sonsiama III similarly said, 'It is in our homes, towns, and villages that true transformation must begin. When women are given a seat at the table, nations prosper.' Goodwill messages came from Ambassador Bob Sheriff of Liberia and Amir Musa Mewa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, in a show of regional solidarity. The first day also featured an exhibition showcasing solutions in family welfare, women's advancement, and child protection, along with a panel discussion led by Madam Isatu Jabbie Kabbah and Aminata Turay exploring policy and grassroots strategies. Child protection at the heart of resilient communities The second day of the conference turned the spotlight to child protection as the cornerstone of strong families. Delivering the keynote, Elder Alfred Kyungu, President of the Africa West Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, underscored the benefits of dedicated care for the young. 'Children are shaped by their experiences; hence, families must create a conducive environment that contributes not just to their physical well-being but to their emotional and spiritual health,' he added. He further stressed the power of love over fear in raising children. Sheik Ibrahim Barrie, a respected religious and political leader, reiterated the role of women's empowerment in Islamic teachings. 'Empowering women is not just a moral obligation; it is a necessity for the progress of our communities, ' he noted. Young gender activist Grace Ada Brown moved the audience with her personal testimony, adding that the strength of a nation depends on the strength of families. 'When families are strong, communities thrive,' she said. Speakers such as Tonya Waite of Protect Child Health Coalition–USA, Jennifer Hogge Ellsworth of Engage Now Africa, and Sharon and Greg Slater of Family Watch International offered practical strategies for safeguarding children's well-being. Panelists Daniel F. H. Kettor, Blessing Kutubu, and Christiana Ogbemoye Oliko shared insights on regional collaboration and community-based support systems. 'Protecting children starts with building trust between families and the institutions designed to help them,' Mr. Kettor said. Safe house for gender-based violence victims In a landmark announcement, Elder Kyungu, revealed plans to build a 54-bed safe house in partnership with the office of the First Lady. 'This facility will not only provide shelter but also counseling sessions to help survivors regain their footing in society.' The closing ceremony concluded with awards recognizing the First Lady's leadership, including honors from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Social Welfare Department, and the Government of Liberia. ICU renovation and donation underscore commitment to health Ahead of the conference, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints commissioned a comprehensive renovation of the Intensive Care Units at Connaught Hospital, the nation's main healthcare facility. Elder Isaac Morrison described the project as faith in action. 'This project represents our deep commitment to alleviating burdens and bringing hope to communities around the world.' Acting Minister of Health, Professor Dr. Charles Senessie, highlighted the alignment between this initiative and national goals. 'The collaboration between the Church and the government is vital for improving health outcomes in Sierra Leone,' he noted. Hospital leaders called the upgrades for changing life. 'This is not just an upgrade; it is a lifeline,' Dr. Ibrahim Kapuwa, Hospital Care Manager said. The donation included ICU beds, defibrillators, vital sign monitors, and other critical equipment, reinforcing the message that healthy families are the foundation of strong nations. As the 7th Strengthening Families Conference concluded, one message resonated clearly: Empowering women, protecting children, and investing in health are inseparable pillars of a thriving, resilient Sierra Leone. Outlook and future conference The conference is scheduled to next go to Monrovia, Liberia in June, 2026. All stakeholders are looking forward to Liberia hosting a successful event. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Strengthening Families Conference (SFC). Additional Link:
Zawya
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Civil Society Leaders Applaud Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio's Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Chairmanship, Present Honorary Plaque
A cross-section of members of the West Africa Civil Society Network, Sierra Leone Chapter, has paid a courtesy call on His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio to extend a message of goodwill and offer their congratulations on his recent election as Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government. Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Thematic Lead for Education in the Sierra Leone Chapter, Mr. Alphonso Manley, conveyed the network's admiration and support for President Bio's leadership. 'Your Excellency, we are here today to congratulate you on your election as Chairman of ECOWAS. We want to assure you of our full commitment and readiness to work side by side with you during your tenure in achieving your objectives,' he stated. Presenting a plaque in honour of the President's dedication and commitment to elevating Sierra Leone's global standing, the Chairman of the Sierra Leone Chapter, Mr. William Sao Lamin, expressed appreciation on behalf of civil society. 'Today, on behalf of the Civil Society Network, we present this plaque as a symbol of your dedication and commitment to service. You have positioned Sierra Leone on the global map, and we are proud of your leadership,' he remarked. In his response, President Bio thanked the delegation for their kind gesture and noted the significance of collective achievement. 'I wish to express my profound gratitude for this congratulatory message. This is a collective celebration of what we can accomplish when we build synergy and work together as nations. It has always been my promise to raise Sierra Leone to greater heights, that's why today we lead ECOWAS and have a membership of the United Nations Security Council,' the President stated. He emphasized that such milestones are the result of shared national vision and belief, adding: 'This is a fulfilled promise to my country.' President Bio also used the occasion to encourage civil society organizations to serve as goodwill ambassadors for Sierra Leone. 'We should all be proud as a nation and promote the positive image of Sierra Leone. There is so much happening that should give us hope. As long as we continue to work together as partners in development, we will move this country forward. Your congratulations today are for all of us. Wherever I go, I will represent you and continue to inspire you and many others,' he concluded. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Sierra Leone.
