UNECA PRESSES PARLIAMENT AS HEALTH BUDGET STALLS AT 6% AGAINST 15% ABUJA TARGET
By Saidu Jalloh, Reporter D.S
A delegation from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on Monday, 12th October 2026, held a high-level engagement with the Rt. Hon. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Finance, Hon. Kekura C. Vandy, on the prospects for improved healthcare financing for Sierra Leone.
The Chief of Staff of UNECA, Aboubakri Diaw, who led the delegation, extended appreciation to the Rt. Hon. Speaker for hosting his team. He underscored the critical importance of improving health financing and healthcare service delivery in the country and called on the Speaker and Parliament as a whole to help ensure that government provides adequate funding for the health sector.
He explained that UNECA is working to support the health sector by improving health financing mechanisms, strengthening data systems, and assisting the Ministries of Finance and Health to develop effective tools for managing health resources.
He further highlighted the need to improve coordination between health data systems, address challenges in the collection and use of health information, and strengthen regional cooperation on health-related matters.
According to the Chief of Staff of UNECA, the delegation sought audience with the Rt. Hon. Speaker because Parliament plays a pivotal role in representing citizens, enacting laws, approving the national budget, and exercising oversight over government activities. He noted that while government had committed to allocating 15% of the national budget to health in line with the Abuja Declaration, current allocation stands at around 6%.
In his response, Rt. Hon. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas welcomed the delegation and described the healthcare financing initiative as timely and laudable. He said the Sixth Parliament under his leadership is in full vim and vigor to welcome such an initiative and assured that Parliament would engage Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the matter.
Chairman of the Finance Committee, Hon. Kekura C. Vandy, reminded the delegation of the critical role of the Executive in Africa’s governance architecture and encouraged them to also engage the Executive arm, which prepares and disburses the national budget. He pointed to some gaps in revenue generation by the National Revenue Authority (NRA) that have affected domestic resource mobilisation.
The UNECA Chief of Staff noted that about 60% of health expenditure in Africa is borne by households. He said UNECA’s objective is to conduct a health survey to determine how much government contributes to health insurance vis-a-vis households, and to ensure citizens remain healthy while government tracks progress and challenges.
Hon. Vandy advised that all resources should be channeled through the Ministry of Finance and that all donor support information should be made available to Parliament as the representative of the people.
The delegation concluded that one of the key benefits of the programme is value for money and its potential demographic dividend for the country.
For more information contact Daily Scope Newspaper at dailyscopemedia@gmail.com
