Solthis has been present in Sierra Leone since 2011. Solthis provides support to hospitals and health centers in the capital, Freetown, in order to improve access to care for all sick people. Solthis operations in Sierra Leone focus mainly on care for chronic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, and their transmission from mother to child.
| Population (millions) | 6 |
| Life expectancy at birth |
45,6 |
| HDI rank |
183 |
| Fertility rate | 4,6 |
| Infant mortality per 1,000 births |
182 |
| Number of physicians per 10,000 population |
0,2 |
| Total health expenditures (% of GDP) |
18,8 % |
Source: UNDP, 2014 Human Development Report
Health priorities
The health situation in Sierra Leone is particularly worrisome. Malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS are the leading causes of death, particularly among the most fragile groups: women and children under five. The maternal mortality rate (1,100 deaths per 100,000 births) and the mortality rate in children under five (161 deaths per 1,000 births) are among the world's highest.
Like Guinea, Sierra Leone has also had to deal with the Ebola epidemic, which triggered a major health crisis and revealed weaknesses in the country's health system. The disorganization of all health services had a serious impact on access to care for everyone. In particular, continuity of care for people with chronic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, was severely disrupted.
Operational context
- Start of the program in Sierra Leone: 2011
- Partners: National Aids Secretariat (NAS), National Aids Control Program (NACP-Ministry of Health), NETHIPS (Network of HIV Positives in Sierra Leone)
- Areas of operation: Freetown
- Team: 11 permanent health professionals, including 7 nationals
- 10 sites supported
- Focus of operations: HIV/AIDS, Ebola, TB, Hepatitis, Mother-Child Health, Neurological Opportunistic Infections
Under the partnership agreement signed with the Ministry of Health and the National HIV/AIDS Control Program (NACP), Solthis provides support to Freetown hospitals and health centers in the following ways:
- Improved access to care for all sick people
- Care for HIV-positive children
- Coordination of the national HIV prevention program with regard to international funding and procurement
2014: Third year of operations. Solthis continued its fieldwork centered in the capital city of Freetown, with three main objectives:
- To improve access to treatment with a focus on pediatrics and the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PTMTC)
- To improve the quality of HIV care in the city's healthcare structures by increasing the coordination between pediatric services, the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission, and HIV
- To improve data collection tools to avoid an increase the number of lost to follow-up
2015: Continuity of care when dealing with Ebola.
Improved pediatric care
- Support for the model pediatric hospital Ola During: training of healthcare staff and assistance in reorganizing the departments
- Support for the development of national guidelines: infant diagnosis, therapeutic protocol
Adult care
- Support for the Ministry of Health in developing new national recommendations to better meet needs identified in the field
- Training for physicians and nurses on applying these new recommendations
Supply and inventory management
- Introduction of supply management tools: forecasts, orders, inventory tracking and management
- Support for negotiating grants from international donors for the purchase of antiretrovirals
- Support for pharmacies in the selection and proper use of medications
Biological and virological monitoring
- Advocacy for operationalizing the viral load in Sierra Leone with funding from the Global Fund
Operational research
- Diagnosis and care of neurological opportunistic infections in HIV-positive patients
- Hepatitis B research focused on specific populations: HIV-positive patients, pregnant women, and blood donors
- Research to improving dispensing and monitoring
Introduction of a health information system
- Introduction of patient monitoring software
- Data correction work to have exhaustive databases and better follow-up of patient care activities
- Support for the integration of HIV data into the DHIS2 software in order to have a single data management platform
Continuity of care when dealing with Ebola
- Ensuring the safety of caregivers and patients within healthcare structures
- Search of patients lost to follow-up and adaptation of care delivery for treated patients
- Preparing for the post-Ebola phase by participating in deliberations on strengthening Sierra Leone's health system
Key numbers: Solthis in Sierra Leone
In 2014, Solthis it is:
- 10 sites supported
- 124 health professionals trained
- 5 000 patients on ARV treatment in supported centers
- 100 % of infants under 18 months diagnosed HIV-positive under treatment in the reference pediatric hospital Ola During
Solthis’ address in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone – Freetown
N°1 The Maze – Off King
Street Willberforce
