Sierra Leone and the United Arab Emirates are exploring closer health cooperation, with talks covering medical infrastructure, outbreak preparedness and maternal and child survival. Health Minister Austin Demby met UAE Minister Ahmed Bin Ali Al Sayegh on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit.
Demby thanked the UAE for building a 100-bed field hospital in Port Loko District and supporting Sierra Leone during its Mpox outbreak. He also outlined progress under Sierra Leone’s 300 Days of Activism for Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival, reporting a 32 per cent decline in maternal mortality and an 11.4 per cent fall in infant mortality. Efforts to reach children missing routine vaccinations include digital health monitoring and targeted interventions.
Al Sayegh welcomed the progress and reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to continued cooperation. The partnership supports the UN’s health and well-being goals and Sierra Leone’s Triple Zero Campaign: zero preventable maternal deaths, zero preventable child deaths and zero-dose children.
