Sierra Leone

The three indicators of malnutrition are similarly high in the North, East and South regions and are markedly lower in the West. Those children whose mothers have secondary or higher education are less likely to be malnourished than children of mothers with no or primary-only education. Boys appear to be slightly more likely to be underweight, stunted, and wasted than girls. The age pattern shows that a higher percentage of children aged 12-23 months are undernourished according to all three indices in comparison to children who are younger and older, with the exception of a high level of stunting among children aged 36-47 months. This pattern is expected and is related to the age at which many children cease to be breastfed and begin to be more broadly exposed to contamination in water, food, and environmental diseases. Child immunization has improved in Sierra Leone over the past few years; immunization rates are between 7 and 19% above Regional norms, showing a relatively successful EPI program. It is also reported that one in six children take malaria medication every two weeks.

Note: (*) “One year of age” – children aged 12 to 23 months

With the advent of the PRSP, the objectives of the Government in the medium term are to reduce under-five and maternal mortality rates. It intends to achieve these objectives by expanding access and quality to healthcare services with a focus on

(a) construction and rehabilitation of health facilities nationwide; (b) training of health workers and traditional birth attendants; (c) expanding immunization coverage;