According to the 2022 annual report by the United Nations (UN) in Sierra Leone, there has been a 10% reduction in maternal mortality in the country.
During the presentation of the report on basic services, Sibeso Muluma, the Deputy Country Representative of UNFPA, announced that the maternal death surveillance and response system recorded a decline in the number of maternal deaths in the country.
She also noted that Sierra Leone has made progress in reducing the maternal mortality ratio, from 507 to 443 in 2022, as analyzed by the UN trend between 2000 and 2020.
Despite the positive trend in maternal mortality, Sierra Leone still struggles with child mortality, with over 70% of deaths occurring in children aged 1-59 months.
Muluma added that Sierra Leone is one of the 54 countries that require urgent attention to achieve the SDG 2030 target on child mortality of 25 per 1,000.
However, the UN provided support to Sierra Leone in 2022, which included special care for babies, management of childhood illnesses, and increased access to quality education for children, adolescents, young women, and youth.
