Action Against Hunger - Sierra Leone
Action Against Hunger in Sierra Leone has the mission of addressing the water access and supply needs of health centers.
Little publicized, Sierra Leone is a coastal country in West Africa that has undergone multiple crises over the last decade. The country’s economy, which has significantly deteriorated, has a direct impact on the food and health situations of its residents.
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1. Wash Program
Action Against Hunger participates in the Cluster and Transform Freetown technical working groups to design WASH interventions that improve the water and hygiene situation in Freetown. They provide WASH materials to strengthen Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) measures in health facilities, schools, and the communities they serve. They supply health facilities with IPC materials to protect healthcare workers when delivering care. Additionally, Action Against Hunger rehabilitates water and sanitation facilities in communities and trains WASH committees to carry out minor repairs.
In 2023-2024, they rehabilitated more than 100 water points and 110 latrine cubicles in the Moyamba District, implemented Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) activities, revitalized WASH community committees, and trained 30 WASH technicians in 3 chiefdoms of the Bonthe District. WASH partners continue to leverage Action Against Hunger’s experience in decentralized water governance through a public-private partnership (PPP) for the operations of 90 decentralized water points and the management of public toilets in Freetown. This model generates income for operators and revenue for the government, while making WASH services accessible and affordable in targeted areas. This approach has been integrated into the government’s roadmap and priority action plan for WASH expansion.
2. Health Centers in Freetown
The primary healthcare system in this country has weaknesses in terms of infrastructure. Through the project supported by the Haas Foundation, Action Against Hunger aims to strengthen two health centers that have been assessed as being in very poor condition.
The KissyTown center lacks both water access and the necessary equipment to provide initial care and support for pregnant women or children under 5 suffering from diseases and/or severe acute malnutrition. The rehabilitation program will rebuild the center to ensure the treatment of patients and provide decent equipment and medications.
The Newtown center is in better condition, but the challenge is to renovate the building in terms of walls and ceilings to ensure water tightness. This local health center will be re-equipped with quality materials to guarantee the quality of care and reduce mortality rates in surrounding communities.
These centers play a major role in medical treatment and the prevention of serious illnesses, and many challenges still remain at the forefront of concerns.
In addition to these deficiencies:
- Insufficient staff, between 10 and 20 per Primary Health Unit (PHU).
- Non-remuneration by the government, as many are volunteers.
Restricted access to care, with 10,000 to 15,000 people per PHU for a population of 1.2 million inhabitants. - Inadequate access to water.
- Significant need for medical equipment supplies.
