Linkedin Facebook Youtube
Search
Close this search box.

Every Woman Every Newborn EverywherE
Healthy Futures

News

©UNICEF/WHO.Attribution needed

Increasing and supporting the health workforce to implement quality care in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone’s commitment to quality UHC rapidly advanced following the adoption of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Quality of Care Standards in 2016. The Standards informed the development of a National Quality Management Programme, set out in the National Quality and Patient Safety Policy and Strategic Roadmap (2021- 2024), and its implementation strategy; the ‘Quality RMNCAH Strategic Roadmap’ (2020-2024), which is overseen by a National Quality Technical Working Group.

Photo © 2024 WHO:
WHO team visit to Al Hilal Emirates Hospital in Rafah (Gaza), showing the work of the midwives and the situation of the mothers there.

Quality care is integrated into all District Health Plans and operationalised through a novel quality-of-care management structure including district and hospital Quality of Care and Patient Safety Officers (Quality Officers). The Quality Officers are budgeted and tasked to lead quality improvement activities in collaboration with programme unit staff in districts and clinical ward staff in facilities.

Midwifery is the cornerstone of expanding quality care to all districts and the Government has made tremendous progress in scaling up recruitment: there are now 2647 trained midwives (up from 57 in 2010), with a target of 3500 by 2025. A range of activities to support the growing cohort of midwives has been implemented by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, supported by partners:

  • Development of a national nursing and midwifery policy, curriculum and preceptorship training model, which aims for all graduating midwives to have the essential skills to practice effectively and safely.
  • Midwives taking the lead in maternal death investigations, to help ensure steps are taken to address gaps or delays in care.
  • Assessment of the midwifery schools against international standards.
  • Roll-out of the Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care training and mentorship programme, to enable midwives and other clinicians to manage common emergency complications.
  • Transforming the Nurses and Midwifery Board into an independently functioning Council that can better regulate the professions.

Additional activities undertaken to enable health workers to deliver quality MNH care include:

  • Roll out of guidance and tools: Quality Improvement Training Manual (Facilitator and Participant), Respectful Maternity Care Guideline, Integrated MNH Quality of Care Assessment and Improvement Tool, National Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity Audit tool, Experience of Care Assessment Tool for MNH and Paediatric, Integrated RMNCAH Supervision Checklist.
  • Capacity building of health care workers: Quality Improvement methodology and approaches (over 400 health care workers trained in 2022), training of Quality of Care Officers on a MNH Implementation Package and Data Management, training of staff on Respectful Maternity Care (Princess Christian Maternity Hospital, Kambia, Pujehun supported by GIZ and Makeni Hospital supported by UNFPA), training of RMNCAH Technical Leads on quality improvement.

Source: Improving maternal and newborn health and survival and reducing stillbirth: Progress report 2023. UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, 2023.

Every Woman Every Newborn EverywherE
Healthy Futures

Get Involved

You can help us give mothers and their babies the best chance at life.

Follow us

Facebook X-twitter Youtube

Contact us

Email

Photo © 2020 WHO / Tatiana Almeida
Midwives during WHO Head of Sub-Office Dr Kai von Harbou visit to Hope Field Hospital

© 2024 ENAP EPMM | Privacy Policy | Website by Blick Creative