Sierra Leone – March 2025 – In a concerted effort to eliminate mom-to-dinky one transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B (Triple Elimination), Sierra Leone strengthened its healthcare workforce by means of centered training of frontline smartly being team in Makeni and Bo. Held from March tenth to 14th, 2025, the training equipped healthcare services with the information and talents wanted to advise integrated EMTCT (Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission) companies and products within maternal and dinky one smartly being (MCH) platforms.
A total of 80 participants—including Maternal and Child Health Aides, Senior Enrolled Community Health Nurses, Midwives, Community Health Officers, and HIV Counselors—took piece in the training across the 2 locations, with 40 participants in every. Funded by the Global Fund, the training addressed severe gaps identified in a most modern like a flash EMTCT cascade evaluation conducted in June 2024 which published key service birth challenges: finest 77 out of every 100 newly identified females living with HIV had been initiated on ART during their first antenatal care (ANC) search recommendation from; finest 36 out of every 100 HIV-determined females delivered in smartly being companies and products; and as much as 30 out of 100 infants tested determined at 18 months. Furthermore, stock-outs of HIV and syphilis testing kits, information integrity challenges, and extinct laboratory systems further compounded these points, weakening the total performance of the Triple Elimination program.
Participants had been equipped with realistic talents to fabricate integrated companies and products for EMTCT of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. This included screening and medication of pregnant females and timely testing and medication for exposed infants. Furthermore, participants learned about hepatitis B vaccination and ideas to be certain that effective linkage to care. This training enhanced healthcare team’ capacity to offer comprehensive and indispensable EMTCT companies and products.
The World Health Group (WHO) equipped technical pork up, ensuring the training aligned with world handiest practices. WHO’s contributions included reviewing training supplies, facilitating sessions, and offering expert guidance on effective EMTCT ideas, clinical case management, and restore integration.
This initiative reinforces Sierra Leone’s commitment to world EMTCT targets and maternal-dinky one smartly being development targets. On the spot outcomes from the training include an enhanced capacity of frontline healthcare team to advise integrated triple elimination companies and products, stronger coordination between MCH and disease-particular programs to optimize service birth, and improved preparedness in healthcare companies and products to fabricate timely testing, medication, and prevention interventions.
Reflecting on the influence of the training, Sr. Roberta Macauley, the District Health Sister (DHS1) in Falaba District, shared: “This training has enhanced my knowledge and skills, providing up-to-date information on prevention, transmission, and care. Though I don’t work directly with patients, I now have a stronger foundation in counseling, understanding the necessary steps before treatment, and strengthening prevention strategies. When I’m in the field for supervision, I will definitely know what to look for.”
Equally, Annie Morlai, SECHN at Kombayandeh Community Health Centre in Kono District, emphasised the importance of sustained pork up: “If we, as health workers, do the right thing at our facilities for all HIV-positive women, we can build a future with an HIV-negative population and a healthier nation. To achieve this, we need regular support from our national and district teams to monitor our progress and ensure the consistent availability of essential medicines and test kits.”
To maintain the gains performed from this training, ongoing mentorship and supportive supervision for trained healthcare team shall be crucial. Strengthening provide chain management to be certain that the continuous availability of HIV take a look at kits, ART, and different crucial commodities remains a priority. Furthermore, strong monitoring and review mechanisms shall be severe for tracking progress, identifying gaps, and informing future policy and programmatic decisions.
Investing in healthcare workforce construction remains a key priority for WHO, the Ministry of Health, and partners. Strengthening human useful resource capacity shall be crucial to sustaining progress in direction of EMTCT and improving long-term smartly being outcomes for females and children in Sierra Leone.
