By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Executive Director of Health Alert Sierra Leone, Dr. Victor Lansana Koroma, has commended the Government of Sierra Leone for the timely approval of its 2026 GAVI co-financing commitment for vaccines and immunization.
Dr. Koroma made the statement on Friday, April 17, 2026, during a press conference organized by Health Alert Sierra Leone at its office on Blackhall Road in the East End of Freetown. The event brought together stakeholders from the health sector, including representatives of WASHNet and the Parliamentary Caucus on Immunization and Primary Healthcare.
In a joint statement, Health Alert Sierra Leone, WASHNet and the Parliamentary Caucus commended the Ministry of Finance for approving the co-financing commitment ahead of schedule, describing the move as a critical step in sustaining immunization programmes and strengthening the country’s health system.
The organizations disclosed that as part of ongoing advocacy efforts to promote increased domestic financing for healthcare, a high-level engagement was held on April 8, 2026, at the Ministry of Finance headquarters on George Street in Freetown. During the meeting, Dr. Koroma underscored the importance of sustained advocacy to ensure government meets its co-financing obligations under the GAVI framework.
Responding to the concerns raised, Deputy Principal Financial Secretary, Samuel E. B. Momoh, confirmed that the payment had been approved ahead of the deadline. He noted that the timely action would contribute significantly to improving health outcomes and maintaining momentum in immunization coverage across the country.
Despite the progress, the organizations called on the Ministry of Health, through the Extended Programme on Immunization (EPI), to expedite the submission of required PET forms as requested by the Ministry of Finance. They emphasized that prompt submission would facilitate swift disbursement of funds and prevent unnecessary delays in implementation.
Health Alert Sierra Leone and WASHNet further reaffirmed their commitment to closely monitor the process, including the release and utilization of funds through the EPI, to ensure that Sierra Leone continues to sustain gains in vaccines, immunization and overall healthcare delivery.
The stakeholders stressed that sustained collaboration between government institutions and civil society remains key to achieving long-term improvements in public health and safeguarding immunization programmes nationwide.
