By Hassan Osman Kargbo
In a significant step towards transforming Sierra Leone’s healthcare system, the Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, and his senior management team hosted a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Communication Technology and Innovation (MoCTI) yesterday. The delegation was led by MoCTI Minister, Madam Salima Monorma Bah, and the meeting focused on exploring collaborative opportunities to integrate technology into healthcare delivery.
The engagement between the two ministries signalled a renewed commitment to leveraging digital innovation to improve transparency, efficiency, and performance in the country’s health sector. Discussions during the meeting revolved around practical and scalable digital solutions aimed at strengthening healthcare administration, especially in staff recruitment, retention, and service delivery.
Dr. Demby emphasized the urgent need for digital transformation in the health sector, particularly at a time when the government has announced plans to recruit 3,000 new health workers across all cadres. He underscored that the recruitment process must be transparent and technology-driven to ensure fairness and merit-based selections.
“The Ministry of Health is determined to integrate digital tools that will support transparent recruitment processes and help us monitor staff performance and service delivery effectively,” Dr. Demby stated. “This is not just about hiring people—it’s about building a strong, efficient, and accountable health workforce that can meet the demands of our citizens.”
Minister Bah expressed her ministry’s full support and enthusiasm to collaborate with the health sector. She highlighted MoCTI’s expertise in deploying reliable and user-friendly digital systems that can transform public service delivery, including healthcare.
“We are excited about this partnership,” Minister Bah said. “MoCTI is ready to support the health sector with innovative digital solutions that can be scaled quickly and sustainably. Technology has the power to remove bottlenecks, ensure transparency, and ultimately improve health outcomes.”
This inter-ministerial dialogue comes at a time when digital transformation is at the center of government policy. The recruitment of thousands of health workers represents not only an opportunity to strengthen human resources in the sector but also a chance to establish a long-term framework for digital governance in healthcare.
The two ministries discussed several potential areas for immediate collaboration, including digital platforms for job applications, biometric systems for verifying qualifications and identity, performance dashboards for real-time staff monitoring, and mobile applications for frontline health workers. These tools aim to make service delivery more responsive, data-driven, and accountable.
Both ministers acknowledged that for Sierra Leone to achieve its health goals, digital innovation must be embedded in its systems. They also agreed to set up a joint technical working group that will lead the planning and implementation of these initiatives.
This initiative reflects a broader government strategy to harness technology for national development, especially in sectors such as health, education, and agriculture. As the country moves toward universal health coverage, the integration of technology will play a crucial role in delivering quality care efficiently and equitably.
The Ministry of Health and MoCTI’s partnership is expected to become a model for how cross-sector collaboration can deliver impactful results for citizens, laying the foundation for a smarter, more inclusive healthcare system in Sierra Leone.
