Freetown, Sierra Leone — The Ministry of Health has issued a strong rebuttal to a recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report accusing Sierra Leone’s public health facilities of “obstetric violence,” calling the findings misleading and unfair.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Ministry described the report as “a form of blackmail”, arguing that it undermines the country’s ongoing health sector reforms and the dedication of healthcare workers operating under challenging conditions.
According to the Ministry, Sierra Leone has recorded major improvements in maternal and child health outcomes over the last five years. Maternal mortality, it noted, has fallen by nearly 70 percent — from 1,165 to 354 deaths per 100,000 live births — due to targeted investments in midwifery training, emergency medical services, reliable electricity supply, oxygen production, and free healthcare services for pregnant women.
“The report ignores the enormous progress Sierra Leone has made,”* said the Minister of Health. “Every mother’s life matters, and we are working daily to ensure safer deliveries across the nation.”
The Ministry further stated that HRW did not obtain mandatory authorization from the National Ethics and Scientific Review Committee to conduct its investigation — a move it says violates local and international research guidelines.
“Accountability must work both ways,” the statement emphasized.
Officials highlighted ongoing government interventions, including respectful maternity care programs, community oversight structures, the PReSTrack pregnancy monitoring system which currently tracks over 400,000 pregnancies, and the National Emergency Medical Service (NEMS) ambulance network connecting women to timely emergency care.
The Ministry urged development partners and advocacy organizations to prioritize constructive engagement over what it characterized as sensational reporting.
“Sierra Leone’s mothers deserve respect, not politics,” the Ministry stated. *“Our record stands as proof that we are saving lives — not denying challenges, but confronting them head-on.”
