Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone country profile provides an overview of the community health system in Sierra Leone according to the most up-to-date policies available. It particularly focuses on the country’s community health providers, the structures that support them, and the services they deliver across many health areas – with a spotlight on family planning. The profile is targeted towards policymakers, program implementers, donors, researchers, and others interested in the country’s community health system.

The table below captures key information from the full, downloadable country profile. The complete CHS Catalog data set is also available for download, including information for Sierra Leone.

Community Health Quick Stats

Main Community Health Policy / Strategy | Last Updated
  • Free Healthcare Services for Pregnant and Lactating Women and Young Children in Sierra Leone | 2009
  • Health Sector Recovery Plan (HSRP) (2015–2020) | 2015
  • Sierra Leone Basic Package of Essential Health Services (BPEHS) (2010–2015) | 2015
  • National Community Health Worker Policy 2016–2020 | 2016
Number of Community Health Provider Cadres

1 main cadre: Community health workers (CHWs)
Recommended Number of Community Health Providers

15,000 CHWs
Estimated Number of Community Health Providers

13,000 CHWs
Recommended Ratio of Community Health Providers to Beneficiaries
  • 1 CHW : 250 people (areas 3 or more kilometers from a health facility)
  • 1 CHW : 1,000 people (areas within 3 kilometers of a health facility)
Community-Level Data Collection Yes
Levels of Management of Community-Level Service Delivery

National, district, community
Key Community Health Program(s)

National CHW Program and other national programs across a range of health areas

Key Policies and Strategies

Government of Sierra Leone. 2009. Free healthcare services for pregnant and lactating women and young children in Sierra Leone. Freetown: Government of Sierra Leone.

Ministry of Health and Sanitation. 2009. National Health Sector Strategic Plan. Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

———. 2012. Policy for Community Health Workers in Sierra Leone. Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation (accessed June 2016).

———. 2015a. Health Sector Recovery Plan (2015-2020). Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

———. 2015b. National Infection Prevention and Control Interim Guidelines for Hand Hygiene. Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

———. 2015c. Sierra Leone Basic Package of Essential Services 2015-2020. Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

———. 2016a. Comprehensive EPI Multi-Year Plan. Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

———. 2016c. National Community Health Worker Policy 2016-2020. Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

———. 2016c. National Health Promotion Strategy of Sierra Leone (2017-2021). Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation (accessed June 2016).

———. 2016d. Sierra Leone National Community Health Worker Programme. Facilitator Manual. Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

———. 2017. Sierra Leone National RMNCAH Strategy 2017 to 2021 (Draft). Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

———. n.d.a Sierra Leone Malaria Control Strategic Plan 2011-2015. Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

———. n.d.b Sierra Leone National Food and Nutrition Security Policy 2012-2016. Freetown: Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

National AIDS Secretariat. 2015. National Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS 2016-2020.