Sierra Leone Completes US$2 Million Procurement of Maternal and Reproductive Health Supplies

The Government of Sierra Leone has completed the procurement of essential medicines and reproductive health commodities valued at US$2 million, according to the Ministry of Health.

The supplies were procured through the Ministry’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Project and are currently stored at National Medical Supplies Agency facilities. They are ready to be moved to health facilities across the country, although no specific distribution date has been provided.

Supplies aimed at maternal and emergency care

The procurement includes commodities for maternal and reproductive health, family planning, Caesarean sections, normal deliveries and emergency care.

Ministry information says the medicines are intended to respond to major causes of deaths among mothers and babies, including bleeding after birth, high blood pressure and sepsis.

Dr. Austin Demby, Minister of Health, said the investment would help address part of the country’s commodity gap and support the availability of essential medicines for women, children and families.

“This investment addresses part of our national commodity gap and demonstrates Government’s continued commitment to achieving the triple zero targets of the 300 Days of Activism. The supplies are targeted at directly improving the availability of essential medicines and protecting critical health services for women, children and families across Sierra Leone,” Demby said.

Family planning co-financing

The Government has also set aside US$100,000 for UNFPA as its co-financing contribution under the COMPACT Agreement for Family Planning.

According to Ministry information, the contribution will be matched dollar-for-dollar, creating a total funding pool of US$200,000 for family planning supplies.

The National Medical Supplies Agency is working with Ministry leadership and health facility management teams to determine where the commodities are most needed and coordinate their distribution.

The Ministry has not released detailed quantities for each type of commodity or identified the facilities and regions that will receive the supplies first.