By Saidu Jalloh, Reporter D.S
Bo District has recorded a major improvement in maternal health, with maternal deaths dropping by 68.8 percent between early July and early October 2026 compared to the same period last year.
According to figures presented during an engagement in Bo on Friday, October 30, 2026, the district recorded only five maternal deaths between July and early October 2026, down from 16 deaths during the same period in 2025.
The engagement was led by Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mustapha Kabba, as part of government’s 300 Days of Activism for Triple Zero campaign.
The meeting brought together healthcare workers and community members to assess progress, examine challenges and map out measures to prevent avoidable maternal deaths.
The recent improvement follows a difficult start to the year. In May 2026 alone, Bo recorded 10 maternal deaths — the highest monthly figure in the district this year.
However, figures began to improve steadily in subsequent months, dropping to three deaths in June, three in July, and one each in August, September and October.
Despite the encouraging trend, health authorities say the overall maternal death toll in Bo this year remains higher than that of the corresponding period last year, underscoring the need for sustained intervention.
At the national level, Sierra Leone has recorded a 31.3 percent reduction in maternal deaths compared to the same period in 2025, reflecting progress in efforts to strengthen maternal healthcare and prevent avoidable deaths during pregnancy and childbirth.
The Ministry of Health, however, has stressed that the national decline should not mask challenges in districts where maternal mortality remains high.
The 300 Days of Activism for Triple Zero campaign seeks to galvanize action among health workers, communities and healthcare institutions to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.
The campaign started in Western Area Urban and Rural Districts before being extended to Bo.
Speaking in Bo, Dr. Demby urged health workers and communities not to relent in the fight against maternal mortality.
“We have to keep improving and change these figures for the sake of our mothers and their babies,” Dr. Demby said.
He emphasized the need for health facilities to be fully prepared to respond to maternal emergencies at all times, and for health workers to identify danger signs early and respond promptly to complications.
The Ministry said it will continue to review maternal deaths to identify weaknesses in healthcare delivery and prevent recurrence, while stressing the importance of treating pregnant women with dignity and without unnecessary delays.
At the close of the engagement, Dr. Demby interacted with nurses, doctors and community members and posed for a group photograph with them in appreciation of their role in saving mothers and newborns.
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