Infant mortality is a horrific issue that all countries face on some level, but developing countries face much more severely. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines infant mortality as any death that occurs before a baby’s first birthday. It also defines infant mortality rates as “the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births.” Although it is unfortunate need to track such a thing, there is hope that tracking these statistics could help lead to improvement. This hope is especially real for Sierra Leone, a country that experiences one of the highest cases of infant mortality worldwide.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a beautiful country in West Africa that shares borders with the Atlantic Ocean, Guinea and Liberia. Although it is rich in beauty, it is one of the poorest nations in the world. As a result, many people lack necessities such as food, water, shelter and medical care. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 57% of people in Sierra Leone are food insecure. This is due to a plethora of issues, such as ongoing conflict and war in the region, Ebola outbreaks, unpredictable natural disasters that make farming difficult, and a long history of corruption in government. It is no wonder that under such difficult circumstances, the infant mortality rate in Sierra Leone is so high.

Infant Mortality in Sierra Leone

Infant mortality rates in Sierra Leone are much higher than the world’s average. Project Hope shared the statistic that “at 1,360 deaths per 100,000 live births,” Sierra Leone’s infant mortality rate is “six times higher than the global average.” Additionally, mothers are more likely to die during childbirth as well. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2019, 717 mothers died annually for every 100,000 live births in Sierra Leone. Children mainly die from diarrheal infections, malaria, pneumonia and malnourishment. Mothers tend to die from pregnancy complications such as hemorrhages and labor issues. Sierra Leone hopes to improve these systems since these issues can be fixed with the proper medical resources and necessities. 

Improvements 

Infant mortality rates in Sierra Leone have been decreasing over the last few years due to measures taken, but much more work is necessary. Programs to address poverty can play an amazing role in decreasing infant mortality rates and also helping to save and support expecting mothers. For example, one program that the Quality Essential Health Services and Systems Support Project (QEHSSSP) runs, which has funding from the World Bank, integrated community health systems into Sierra Leone, and expecting mothers said they could see a real difference in their medical care.

Even just the accessibility of having such a program seemed to make a positive difference. Statista revealed that the “infant mortality rate in Sierra Leone decreased by 2.2 deaths per 1,000 live births (-2.73%) in 2021 compared to the previous year.” Hopefully, this trend will continue. With more education and resources, the infant mortality rates in Sierra Leone can reduce. 

Looking Forward

Infant mortality is a devastating reality that often comes as a result of poverty. Luckily, by tracking the information on where, how and why these deaths occur, we can find hope for a better future for expecting mothers and infants. Sierra Leone is a great example of change that is needed and is beginning to take place. With more time, research and improvement, it is possible that infant mortality in Sierra Leone can decrease. 

– Rachel Breeden
Photo: Flickr