Sierra Leone has taken a significant step towards the Triple elimination of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B from mother to child by successfully completing training for 80 frontline healthcare workers in Makeni and Bo.
The training, conducted from March 10th to 14th, 2025, equipped Maternal and Child Health Aides, Senior Enrolled Community Health Nurses, Midwives, Community Health Officers, and HIV Counselors with essential skills to deliver integrated Elimination of Mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) services within maternal and child health (MCH) platforms.
Funded by the Global Fund and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the initiative addressed critical service delivery gaps identified in a recent EMTCT cascade analysis. The analysis revealed challenges such as low ART initiation rates, low facility-based deliveries for HIV positive women, and gaps in infant testing.
WHO provided technical support, ensuring the training aligned with global best practices and focused on service integration, clinical case management and effective follow up of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B cases.
The training will enhance treatment initiation, facility-based deliveries, and early infant care, by strengthening service integration. By building the capacity of frontline health workers, Sierra Leone is reinforcing its commitment to global EMTCT targets and improving maternal and child health outcomes. Continued mentorship, strengthened supply chains, and robust monitoring are crucial to sustain these gains.
