FREETOWN, 7th October 2026 – The United States Government is investing $6 million in Sierra Leone’s health sector through a new Faith and Community Initiative.
The project will be implemented by World Vision Sierra Leone in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
According to details of the programme, the initiative will connect faith-based health facilities and community health structures to bring essential health services closer to families and hard-to-reach communities.
The services to be delivered under the project include HIV, tuberculosis (TB), malaria, maternal and child health, and nutrition interventions – all critical areas in Sierra Leone’s health landscape where faith-based facilities play a major role.
U.S. officials said the support is designed to strengthen existing national health systems rather than create parallel structures, and to gradually transition key responsibilities to local institutions over time for sustainability.
The investment comes at a time when Sierra Leone continues to grapple with high maternal and child mortality, and with malaria remaining the leading cause of hospital visits and deaths, particularly among children under five. Faith-based health providers, including Catholic, Methodist and Adventist hospitals and clinics, provide an estimated 30% of health services in rural areas.
World Vision Sierra Leone, which has worked in the country for decades in health, WASH and child welfare, will lead implementation, working alongside district health teams, local councils, and inter-religious networks to reach communities through churches, mosques and community health worker structures.
The Ministry of Health has welcomed the initiative as aligned with its drive for Universal Health Coverage and community ownership of health services.
