Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security is exploring ways to expand health insurance and social protection, particularly for informal sector workers who account for more than 80% of the workforce, during discussions with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Freetown on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
The engagement focused on sustainable healthcare financing, workplace safety, and the institutional arrangements needed to advance universal health coverage.
Aboubakri Dias, chief of staff in the Office of the ECA Executive Secretary, said the commission was working with the government to prioritise health financing in national economic and fiscal planning. He noted that declining support from international development partners had exposed weaknesses in Africa’s health financing, leaving households vulnerable to high medical costs and poverty.
Dias said the ECA’s Sustainable Health Financing Initiative supports countries in mobilising domestic resources, improving public spending, strengthening data systems and integrating health priorities into economic policies. Options include targeted levies and debt-swap arrangements. The ECA also highlighted regional cooperation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), including cross-border healthcare access and recognition of health workers’ qualifications.
Employment, Labour and Social Security Minister Umaru Napoleon Koroma said expanding health insurance and social protection was essential for workers in both formal and informal sectors. He cited mining workers’ occupational hazards and the risks faced by commercial motorbike riders, including road accidents, unemployment and limited access to formal insurance.
Koroma also highlighted efforts to develop the National Health Sector Strategy Plan 2026–2030 and establish an institutional framework for universal health coverage.
The ministry’s Director of Social Protection, Duraman Songo, said existing social security arrangements leave a significant portion of the workforce without adequate coverage. He called for stronger coordination among government ministries, improved information-sharing and broader stakeholder consultations.
ECA statistician Pamela Kakande stressed the importance of reliable data in identifying coverage gaps, monitoring policy implementation and strengthening occupational health and safety.
The discussions also examined a proposed universal health coverage agency, closer coordination between the employment and health ministries, and sustainable funding options, including employer contributions and other domestic resources.
The engagement forms part of the ECA’s consultations with government institutions and stakeholders to strengthen health financing and advance universal health coverage in Sierra Leone.