The Ministry of Finance held its FY2027 Bilateral Budget Discussions this week, featuring presentations from the Ministries of Health and Gender and Children’s Affairs. Deputy Minister of Finance I, Kadiatu Allie, urged participants to focus on aligning resources with national priorities for tangible outcomes.
The Ministry of Health requested NLe341.27 million for recurrent funding in FY2027, which exceeds the budget ceiling of NLe153.30 million by NLe187.96 million. They also proposed NLe211 million for new capital projects aimed at enhancing immunisation, family planning, and various health programmes, alongside building regional hospitals, supporting the Sierra Leone Social Health Insurance (SLeSHI), and expanding dialysis services. Including ongoing projects from FY2026, the total capital requirement amounts to NLe263.57 million.
Deputy Health Minister Prof. Charles Senessie highlighted the need for increased funding, citing improvements in maternal and infant health, life expectancy, and recruitment of over 3,000 health workers through a digital platform. He called for investments to meet the Abuja Declaration goal of allocating 15% of national budgets to health.
Senior Permanent Secretary Andrew Sorie described health spending as both essential and a forward-thinking investment. He reiterated the call for ongoing funding to enhance service delivery. The Ministry also noted reforms in health financing, including a Health Financing Policy and plans for a Health Financing Agency to manage the Free Health Care programme.
Principal Deputy Financial Secretary Samuel E.B. Momoh urged the Ministry to identify strategic goals and opportunities for private investment in the health sector, emphasising the need to complement public resources with private capital.
The discussions also examined the impact of declining donor financing, with health sector resources dropping from about US$313 million in 2025 to US$267 million in 2026, underscoring the urgency for sustainable domestic funding.
The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs presented its FY2027 funding request of NLe7.96 million to support priority programmes. The session, chaired by Deputy Minister of Finance II Isata Marah and Deputy Director of Budget Dr Illara Mahdi, also included input from civil society representatives, who advocated for additional resources for gender equality and child protection services.
A key theme throughout the discussions was the need for strategic planning, enhanced domestic financing, and greater collaboration with the private sector and development partners to secure recent gains in health and social sectors.
