The first lady, Sia Nyama Koroma, has expressed determination to reduce maternal mortality, infant mortality and under five mortality rate by 30% and also promote the welfare of rural and urban women in the country.
The first lady with her team recently met at the President’s Lodge with developmental partners to identify areas where they could coordinate efforts to promote the development of health care deliveries and build the capacity of grassroots women.
She noted that Sierra Leone recorded the highest level of under five mortality rate with a figure of 267 deaths out of 1000 live births, and that the maternal mortality rate stood at 1800 deaths out of 100,000 births.
The first lady gave an overview of her concerns on health and admonished the development partners to complement her efforts and make the difference in her determination to change the alarming trend in martanal mortality.
WHO assured the first lady of its support in promoting awareness raising programmes and advocacy on the prevention and control of HIV and AIDS in the country with provision of logistics and technical expertise on how to support and care for those living with the virus.
She exchanged notes, and shared ideas on the way forward, with the view to champion some critical issues affecting women and children in the country who face considerable challenges in improving their communities, institutions and livelihoods.
The partners she met with at the presidential lodge included WHO, CARE, PLAN, UNDP and GTZ, at different days and time of the week. They expressed determination to support the first lady’s office with funds to enable her implement some developmental projects.
In another development the first lady accompanied by the second lady Kadie Samsumana visited the Marampa Mining Company where they made a conducted tour of the company’s operation.
The company is expected to employ over a thousand youths when the company starts operations in mining of iron ore deposits. The first lady climaxed her independence anniversary celebration with series of activities and above all she did the turning of the soil for the construction of a health centre at Lunsar funded and implemented by the London Mining company.