Resource Library

Sierra Leone ORS Case Study

From 1991-2002 Sierra Leone was home to an 11-year civil war that decimated the infrastructure countrywide.  Over half the population was displaced from their homes and were the victims of torture and trauma.  After being without a health sector strategic plan for a decade, Sierra Leone is still in the process of rehabilitating the health system and has been heavily supported by international donors.  This case study examines the high rate of ORS use in Sierra Leone compared to other African countries as a result of this heavy support from international donors.  The success in scaling up ORS coverage through the process of the rebuilding the health system following the conflict can be contributed to many factors: mothers were exposed to an effective marketing campaign in IDP camps which showed that ORS could treat dehydration, ORS was nicely packaged and widely available to the population in health centers, and there was ample funding from donors for procurement and distribution of the product.