2013 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Reveals Improved Health Care

The Survey, conducted by the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Statistics Sierra Leone with support from the UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO, indicates progress in improving health services in Sierra Leone. The 2013 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey preliminary results was released on Tuesday 28th January 2014. The just concluded Demographic and Health Survey among other things shows that use of modern family planning methods among married women doubled from 7 percent to 16 percent; delivery at health facilities doubled from 25 percent to 56 percent; use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) against malaria for under five children doubled from 26 percent to 49 percent and use of ITNs among pregnant women doubled from 27 percent to 53 percent. The report also states that antenatal care by skilled birth attendants has increased from 87 percent to 97 percent; delivery by a skilled birth provider has risen from 42 percent to 61 percent; the rate of fully immunized children has increased from 40 percent to 68 percent and ORS Use for children with diarrhoea increased from 68 percent to 85 percent “While the DHS preliminary report is yet to release data on Maternal Mortality, we are seeing encouraging trends in the decline in childhood mortality at 156 deaths per 1000 births. We will like to see a more drastic drop in childhood deaths, so there is need to double our efforts and fast-track efforts to achieve this goal. These results will force all partners to continue to work together, to further strengthen our interventions and our methods, so that progress in the health sector in Sierra Leone is sustained,” the report concluded.