How the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, and Young Innovators Are Strengthening Maternal and Newborn Care Through Digital Public Goods
Sierra Leone Lays the Foundation to Digital Health Transformation Through SMART Guidelines, Digital Public Goods and Youth Innovation
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Sierra Leone is accelerating progress toward a modern, integrated digital health system by placing innovation at the center of maternal and newborn health improvements. This case study highlights the country’s journey in adopting WHO SMART Guidelines for Antenatal Care (ANC), transitioning from fragmented paper-based processes to standardized, interoperable digital solutions.
Supported by UNICEF and partners, the Ministry of Health—working alongside the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation and DSTI—adapted the ANC Digital Adaptation Kit (DAK), establishing national digital standards for care workflows and data systems. Building on this foundation, the 2025 Code4Health Hackathon mobilized 22 young Sierra Leonean developers to create digital public good prototypes, including the Geneline‑X App, Healthy Mother App, and Medikated Platform.
Together, these efforts strengthen national digital public infrastructure, improve early detection of high-risk pregnancies, enhance referral pathways, and empower youth-driven innovation in health technology. The case study also outlines next steps, including EMR integration in 2026 and expansion of SMART Guidelines to new health domains.
