By: Financing Alliance for Health (FAH)
ONE Campaign and Financing Alliance for Health Forge Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Sustainable Health Financing Reforms in Sierra Leone
What the Partnership Will Deliver
ONE Campaign and the Financing Alliance for Health (“FAH) have officially entered a strategic partnership to support the Ministry of Health through the provision of technical expertise and data and evidence-based analyses to support in the strengthening of local health financing systems and accelerating Sierra Leone’s journey toward sustainable Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
This collaboration comes at a pivotal moment for Sierra Leone, as the Government advances major health financing reforms, including the establishment of the Sierra Leone Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SLAUHC), the expansion of the Free Health Care Initiative (FHCI), and the early implementation of the Sierra Leone Social Health Insurance Scheme (SLeSHI).
Through this partnership, the partners are supporting the Ministry of Health by providing technical expertise, delivered through Health Economist Consultant working with the Ministry to support the Directorate of Policy, Planning and Information and the Health Financing Unit, with the aim of strengthening evidence‑based decision‑making, enhancing fiscal sustainability, and unlocking new domestic financing opportunities for health.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that health financing reforms in Sierra Leone are not only ambitious, but affordable, evidence‑driven, and sustainable,” said –Dr. William Nii Ayitey Menson, Director, Health Financing at The ONE Campaign. “By working alongside FAH and government partners, we aim to support reforms that deliver real, lasting impact for the people of Sierra Leone.”
Through this collaboration, FAH, supported by ONE Campaign, will engage a Health Economist based in Sierra Leone to provide tailored technical assistance to the Ministry of Health, particularly the Health Financing Unit (HFU) and the Directorate of Policy, Planning and Information (DPPI). Key areas of support include:
- Health financing diagnostics and system assessments to inform health reform design
- Costing, fiscal space, and sustainability analyses to inform Cabinet and parliamentary decision- making processes through the provision of data and evidence-based analysis
- Innovative financing options, including domestic resource mobilization and diaspora‑linked mechanisms
- National health financing dashboards and decision‑support tools for real‑time monitoring
- Policy briefs and evidence packages tailored for senior government leadership and legislators
- Capacity strengthening and coordination support across government and partner platforms
Together, these efforts will help strengthen budget credibility, improve alignment between policy commitments and financing realities, and reduce long‑term dependence on external aid.
Supporting Government Leadership and National Priorities
The partnership is designed to support the Government’s national priorities and complement ongoing health reforms rather than duplicate efforts. By anchoring technical work within government systems, the collaboration aims to enhance coordination across ministries, development partners, and civil society actors, ensuring reforms are informed, technically sound, and institutionally owned.
“FAH is proud to partner with ONE Campaign in support of Sierra Leone’s health financing reform agenda,” FAH leadership noted-Dr. Kamanga Mpuma “This collaboration will help translate ambitious policy goals into actionable, fiscally responsible solutions that strengthen the health system and protect the most vulnerable.”
Serah Makka, Executive Director for Africa, ONE Campaign, stated:
“Success will be defined not by documents alone, but by real policy movement, institutional adoption, and measurable progress toward universal health coverage in Sierra Leone. This partnership is about translating sound analysis into decisions that strengthen government systems, protect public resources, and expand access to quality health care for all Sierra Leoneans.”
Dr. Kamanga Mpuma, Lead Health Financing Manager – Anglophone Region, Financing Alliance for Health, expressed appreciation for the partnership, noting:
“This Memorandum of Understanding marks a foundational step toward strengthening the implementation of Sierra Leone’s health reform agenda. A major focus of our collaboration is building robust health financing data infrastructure—enabling real‑time monitoring, informed decision‑making, and sustained, evidence‑based policy dialogue between government and partners.”
“This strategic partnership between the ONE Campaign and the Financing Alliance for Health aims to create and implement systems that benefit everyone. By supporting the Government of Sierra Leone in aligning health resources, enhancing accountability in budget execution, and institutionalizing essential public finance management reforms, we will achieve effective service delivery, ensure financial security, and promote health equity for all.” – Soleine Scotney, Co-CEO of Financing Alliance for Health.
“The collaboration between the Financing Alliance for Health and the ONE Campaign is an inspiring partnership focused on transforming healthcare financing in Sierra Leone. Our goal is to support the Sierra Leone Government in implementing significant health financing reforms to ensure access to essential health services for everyone, ultimately fostering a healthier future for our communities” – Sizwile Sibindi, Co-CEO, Financing Alliance for Health.
A Shared Vision for Impact
The partnership underscores a shared belief that sustainable health systems require strong domestic financing, credible data, and informed policy choices. By combining ONE Campaign’s global advocacy and technical expertise with FAH’s regional leadership and on‑the‑ground engagement, the collaboration seeks to support Sierra Leone in building a modern, pooled, and resilient health financing system.
Both organizations will coordinate closely on all public communications and stakeholder engagements and will work hand‑in‑hand with the Ministry of Health and other government partners throughout implementation.
About ONE Campaign
ONE fights for a more just world by demanding the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa.
About Financing Alliance for Health (FAH)
Financing Alliance for Health (FAH) is the only Africa‑based, Africa‑focused NGO dedicated to strengthening health financing systems to deliver quality, sustainable, and resilient primary and community health services. We partner with governments across Africa to focus financing to improve health for all, with a core mission to strengthen how countries mobilize, allocate, and execute health financing. We are currently embedded within 5 African Countries: Kenya, Zambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. Our work focuses on primary health care (PHC) and community health, the critical frontlines for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) at the center of financing and public financial management (PFM) reform. Our approach combines deep technical expertise with hands‑on institutional support to address the persistent execution gaps that limit the impact of health spending.
This article was originally published on Financing Alliance for Health
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