Sierra Leone Health Minister Visits Burkina Faso President After Health Financing Forum
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, Austin Demby, has paid a courtesy visit to the President of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, following his participation in the National Forum on Health Financing (#FONAFIS2026) held in Ouagadougou.
The high-level forum brought together Health Ministers and key stakeholders from across Africa to deliberate on sustainable healthcare financing and strengthening national health systems. Sierra Leone was represented on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio, with Minister Demby actively engaging in strategic discussions.
During the forum, Minister Demby contributed to several high-level sessions, where he highlighted ongoing healthcare reforms and transformation efforts in Sierra Leone. His participation underscored the country’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery and ensuring access to quality services for all citizens.
The engagement emphasized the importance of regional solidarity and reinforced the urgent need for stronger collaboration among African nations in building resilient and sustainable health systems.
In his address, Minister Demby noted that the forum provided a valuable platform to exchange ideas on shared health priorities, including universal health coverage, domestic resource mobilisation, and innovative financing mechanisms to support national health development agendas.
He further observed that global healthcare systems are increasingly under pressure, with low- and middle-income countries—particularly in Africa—facing significant challenges. He stressed the need for homegrown and continent-wide solutions to healthcare financing, rooted in national solidarity, efficient public spending, and inclusive stakeholder participation.
The #FONAFIS2026 forum served as a strategic platform for open dialogue, experience sharing, and the development of innovative approaches to strengthening both local and regional resource mobilisation, as well as rethinking health financing models across the continent.
“Health lies at the heart of Sierra Leone’s human capital development and social progress,” Minister Demby stated, adding that ensuring universal access to quality healthcare requires adequate resources, effective financing mechanisms, and collective action from all stakeholders.
He reaffirmed President Bio’s commitment to strengthening the country’s healthcare system and improving outcomes for all Sierra Leoneans.
The event concluded with Minister Demby joining fellow African Health Ministers on a courtesy visit to President Ibrahim Traoré, further cementing diplomatic and regional ties.
Key global and regional health stakeholders associated with the forum include Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization, Partners In Health (PIH Sierra Leone), and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
