Ellis-Hadwin Health Legacy in Sierra Leone

The Ellis-Hadwin Legacy in Sierra Leone will focus on improving poor women and men’s access to essential health care. The programme is being delivered across three strands of work including testing and adapting, integrating health programming, and evidence and learning.

In Sierra Leone, we are working to improve reproductive, maternal and child health outcomes in 22 communities in the Pujehun district.

Our aim is to strengthen the capacity of communities and local health systems to be resilient, inclusive and responsive.

Sierra Leone has the worst maternal mortality ratio in the world, with 1165 mothers dying per 100,000 live births. Child mortality remains high at 156 in 1000 live births.

The project is working towards achieving three main objectives:

1. Women and girls have the knowledge and power necessary to control their own health decision making in relation to MCH, SRH and HIV;
2. Increased transparency, accountability and responsiveness of the health service;
3. Community level health service is integrated, inclusive and resilient.

A fragile health infrastructure following the 2014 Ebola crisis, high poverty rates, high illiteracy and inequitable social norms continue to undermine availability and accessibility of health services for the most vulnerable women, children and men.

Exploring options for flexible funds to support countries to strengthen the integrated nature of their health programming.

We have identified and developed a plan to carry out research and generate learning in the following areas over the next three years:

• Women’s economic empowerment and health
• The extent to which the community health framework is relevant in fragile and resource constrained contexts
• Health and resilience

Find out more about our work in Sierra Leone