Healthy Markets CoP Session - Sierra Leone - September 2024

 Shankar Narayanan, Senior Market Development Advisor FHM Engage, Family Planning Market Description

The Market Description for Sierra Leone estimates that there is a large contraceptive use/need gap with adolescents (15-24) accounting for nearly a third of the overall use/need gap. The private sector has a low density of health services concentrated in Freetown, and FP commodities are all imported. To address this gap the market description recommends prioritizing adolescents and youth by aligning supply with adolescent and youth needs, understanding demand side barriers and addressing non-use of modern method, and enhancing financing support for private sector involvement in family planning. 

Gladys Goba, Regional and Ag. Service Delivery Manager for Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone (PPASL)

PPASL is currently operating in 8 out of the 16 Districts in Sierra Leone and is currently implementing projects supported by IPPF, Save the Children, and UNFPA. Key interventions are centered around service delivery, advocacy, and demand creation/awareness raising. As a part of their work, PPASL trains social media influencers on SRH&R issues and worked with the government to develop materials for a pilot program in several school districts. 

Phildys Johnson, Manager- Programs and Regulatory Affairs for DKT

DKT was established in Sierra Leone in 2018 and focuses on social marketing, demand generation, and capacity building. DKT is present in every district in the country and distributes commodities to over 2000 pharmacies, drugstores and non-traditional outlets across the country. DKT also operates free mobile outreach for family planning done across the country. Some of DKT's future activities include youth targeted family planning activations in slums and student communities to reduce teenage pregnancies and launching Lydia Campus Clubs in universities and vocational centers. 

Fodie Kamara, Chairman/Executive Director for People’s Alliance for Reproductive Health Advocacy (PARHA)

PARHA is a Coalition of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights advocates and constitutes over 70 NGOs, CSOs, faith leaders, and CBOs. The work of PARHA is focused on five key areas that include research, advocacy, training, collaborative partnerships, and empowerment. An important part of PARHA's work is establishing successful collaborations. Currently PARHA is leading stakeholders engagements on the Safe Motherhood & Reproductive Healthcare (SMRH) Bill 2024. PARHA is also the lead consortium partner on the FHM Engage activity focusing on stewardship for youth driven demand for FP in Sierra Leone. 

Darlton John, Program Manager for Health Alert Sierra Leone (HASiL)

HASiL is a local civil society organization specialized in health development advocacy and accountability programming in Sierra Leone. HASil with the Private Sector Health Federation is piloting what it calls the Motion Tracker, which works to ensure better monitoring of FP2030 commitments. The Motion Tracker and other tools help ensure that commitments from both public and private sectors are tracked, leading to better service delivery and contraceptive access and ensuring accountability in family planning efforts. HASil also works to engage private health groups, businesses, and the Company Federation in supporting FP services. 

Gamachis Shogo, Technical Specialist - RHCS for UNFPA Sierra Leone

Mr. Shogo provided more insight into the FP landscape in Sierra Leone noting that the private sector serves 18 percent of FP users in the country.  Through the UNFPA Supplies Partnership, UNFPA delivers a choice of modern contraceptives and life-saving maternal health medicines and has provided $13.8 million in contraceptive supplies from 2019 to 2023 and $1.8 million for health systems strengthening from 2019 to 2023. The Government of Sierra Leone and UNFPA have signed a Supplies Partnership Compact to gradually increase domestic financing for reproductive health supplies.

Baindu Kosia, Country Director Jhpiego for MOMENTUM Country & Global Leadership

USAID MOMENTUM uses a local partnership approach to work with organizations like the Sierra Leone Midwives Association, FOCUS 1000, Health Alert, and the Christian Health Association of Sierra Leone. Interventions target and work across national, district, and facility levels. MOMENTUM is also focused on youth led innovation and current activities include the Annual National Adolescent and Youth Family Planning Conference, the hackathon challenge that looks for innovative to increase FP information and service to youth and adolescents, and Winner FP Youth Connect where youth use tricycles (KEKE) to deliver FP/RH information and services across districts.

Edward Joseph Benya, Program Operations Director for Marie Stopes Sierra Leone (MSSL)

Since 1989 MSSL has operated as a local NGO in Sierra Leone and has a nationwide network that supports the Government’s efforts to strengthen the healthcare system across the country. MSSL is present in all districts in the country and offers a range of services including FP, contraception, maternal health, and sexual health education. MSSL is the leading family planning provider in the country offering more than 40 percent of the total family planning provided. MSSL operates in 13 mobile outreach clinics across the 15 provincial districts providing services for women and girls in hard-to-reach communities including implant insertion and removal, IUD insertion and removal, and three three-month injectables. 

Andrea Bare, Senior Technical Advisor, USAID PRH 

Concluding Remarks