Freetown, Sierra Leone – On November 3, 2023, Sierra Leone kicked off a nationwide campaign to distribute five million treated bed nets to help protect its population from malaria. Distributions will take place across all 14 districts of the country.
The campaign is being led by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation with support from the U.S. government through USAID Sierra Leone in partnership with the Global Fund.
U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone Bryan Hunt is in Bo for the next couple of days to support the campaign and meet with local leaders. He has already met with the Resident Minister South, the Mayor of Bo City, the District Council Chairman, and the Paramount Chief of Kakua Chiefdom. They discussed the importance of ensuring that local government is inclusive and responsive to citizens in building national unity.
Ambassador Hunt also met with the leadership of both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in Bo and emphasized the need for parties to build constructive working relationships to foster national unity and cohesion and push democracy forward.
Malaria is a serious public health challenge in Sierra Leone, accounting for an estimated 20% of all deaths in the country. The nationwide distribution of treated bed nets is a critical step in reducing the burden of malaria and protecting the health of the Sierra Leonean people.
The U.S. Government is committed to supporting Sierra Leone’s efforts to combat malaria and other preventable diseases. Through USAID, the U.S. Government provides funding for a variety of programs to improve health outcomes, including malaria prevention and treatment, maternal and child health, and nutrition.
The U.S. Government is also a leading donor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is a major partner in the nationwide bed net distribution campaign in Sierra Leone.
