China and UNICEF Forge Strategic Health Partnership

Freetown, Sierra Leone – The Government of China, through the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), has entered into a new partnership with UNICEF to support a transformative programme focused on improving newborn and child health in Sierra Leone. To be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, it aims to reduce preventable child deaths and reinforce health systems across the country.

Despite progress, Sierra Leone continues to face high child mortality. Nearly one in eleven children die before the age of five, with most deaths caused by preventable conditions such as pneumonia, malaria, diarrhoea, and neonatal complications. The initiative will address these challenges by enhancing workforce capacity, supply chains, infrastructure, and data systems—ensuring more children not only survive but thrive.

During the event commemorating the 10th Anniversary of China–Sierra Leone Joint Efforts in Successfully Fighting Against Ebola, Vice Premier Liu Guozhong of China, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh of Sierra Leone, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone H.E. Wang Qing, and UNICEF Representative Rudolf Schwenk participated in a symbolic exchange of the agreement, reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing child health through international cooperation.

Supported through the Global Development and South–South Cooperation Fund (GDF), the programme is expected to directly benefit nearly 400,000 children and indirectly reach over 1.1 million people through strengthened health systems.

Titled Accelerating Newborn and Child Health in Sierra Leone for Improved Survival and Well-being, the initiative focuses on reducing preventable child deaths and improving access to quality care. Key components include:

• Build the capacity of  nearly 1,000 healthcare and community health workers
• Upgrade over 80 health facilities with essential medicines and solar-powered systems
• Enhance data systems for evidence-based decision-making
• Strengthen referral networks and post-discharge support

The formal signing of the CIDCA agreement took place earlier on 4 November in Beijing, where Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, signed on behalf of UNICEF. In parallel, a UNICEF delegation led by George Laryea-Adjei, Director of Programme Group at UNICEF Headquarters, and Mr. Fagninou met with Vice Minister Zheng Zhe of China’s National Health Commission to further strengthen technical cooperation.

This collaboration reflects China’s commitment to global health and South–South cooperation, aligning with its broader strategy to support sustainable development in partner countries. Through CIDCA, China continues to invest in strengthening health systems and improving outcomes for children, contributing to shared global goals and regional frameworks such as Africa’s Agenda for Children 2040.

The initiative also supports Sierra Leone’s progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly in nutrition, health, and energy—and aligns with UNICEF Sierra Leone’s 2025–2030 Country Programme Guided by the UNICEF Strategic Plan and Africa Strategy, the initiative reflects a renewed focus on strategic partnerships and innovation to deliver results at scale, ensuring every child survives, thrives, and is protected.