UNFPA supports the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to preposition contraceptives & life-saving maternal health medicines. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sierra Leone is supporting the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to preposition contraceptives and life-saving maternal health medicines to all16 districts and 24hospitals that provide family planning and maternal health services in the country.

The ongoing exercise is part of the UNFPA’s support to the government towards ensuring reproductive health services are available to women and girls during the COVID-19 pandemic. The prepositioninghas enabled the government to get the essential reproductive health supplies closer to women who need them, even during this time of lockdowns and travel restrictions.

The contraceptives that have been prepositionedso farare aimed at protecting an estimated 120,000couples from unintended pregnanciesover a one-year period. In addition, the lifesaving maternal health medicines will support health care providers to effectively manage complications of pregnancy and child birth and prevent maternal deaths.

The UNFPA country Representative Dr. Kim Eva Dickson commended the Government of Sierra Leone for providing free maternal and child health services, including family planning services for women of Sierra Leone.  Dr Dickson also urged women and young people to continue to access health services even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency that works to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA is working in partnership with the Government and Non-Governmental Organizationsto strive towards zero unmet need for family planning, zero maternal deaths and zero gender based violence and other harmful practices.