Vijay Pillai's blog

The year 2011 ended on a high note for the reformers in Sierra Leone.  There were two significant reforms which the government saw through – reforms that had been long overdue, but which now hold the potential of unleashing new investments and economic growth in the country.  Can Sierra Leone’s use these reforms to beat the potential effects of a global economic downturn?  One hopes so.

The energy sector in Sierra Leone has long faced under-investments. Not very long ago Freetown had the dubious distinction of being the darkest capital in the world and the Bumbuna dam remained elusive.

It’s a long ride on a non-motorable road to Pujehun district in the south of Sierra Leone.  We are on a visit to see how the country’s Free Health Care Initiative (FHCI) for pregnant women and young children is working out. 

In the maternity ward of the district hospital, a woman proudly shows us her new born baby – it’s her third child and fourth pregnancy.  But, more importantly, her first child to be delivered in a hospital.  She is among the thousands of women who have delivered in hospitals for the first time since the introduction of free health care. Are we seeing early signs of a change in health seeking behavior among the poor in the country?