Last week the government in Sierra Leone announced new legislation which will provide free healthcare to pregnant women, young children and mothers of young children throughout the country.

In late April, the government unveiled the plan to fund and facilitate medical care and service for 1.5 million women and children who are in dire need of even the most basic supplies and attention. A shocking one in seven women die in pregnancy or childbirth in Sierra Leone, most from preventable and easily treatable complications. Child mortality is also high with little access to vaccines and health education.

Plan Uk has worked hard advocating for free health care for the high-risk population in Sierra Leone, where child and maternal mortality rates are amongst the highest on the planet.  They formed a coalition with several other NGOs based in Sierra Leone to pressure the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to provide much needed healthcare and support.

Plan UK is committed to helping with implementation and funding assistance of this initiative in Sierra Leone. They have already committed funds to help support medical centres in more rural and hard to reach locations, they will supply smaller village and schools with supplies and health education.