Freetown, Sierra Leone, (November 14, 2024) – ChildFund, a child-development agency, and MAP International, Medicine for All People, a global health organization, have joined forces on an impactful initiative in Sierra Leone. They are providing critical medicine and health supplies worth $25 million to Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS), to help treat diabetes across the country.

MAP International acquired medicine and health supplies from its corporate partners, including diabetes medication. Then, MAP shipped it to Sierra Leone. The MoHS will oversee the distribution of the shipment, ensuring that hospitals and health facilities facing the most critical shortages receive the supplies necessary to continue their vital work in treating patients suffering from diabetes. ChildFund will also support the transport of the drugs across the 16 districts of the country, so they are accessible to all Sierra Leoneans who need them the most.

Diabetes, a chronic disease that affects how the body turns food into energy, poses a significant threat to life, particularly in Sierra Leone where it often remains undetected. This issue is particularly alarming for the majority of the population living in underserved communities where accessing health facilities and receiving appropriate treatment is a huge challenge.

Many families in Africa in general and Sierra Leone in particular, struggle to afford diabetes treatment, which may require continuous medical supplies and regular clinic visits. The financial burden can push households into poverty and reduce their ability to meet other basic needs. Diabetes significantly impacts children in Africa, where healthcare resources and access to diabetes care are often limited from them and/or their parents. Imagine a parent dying from diabetes and how that is going to affect a child’s life and overall well-being.

To mitigate these impacts, organizations like ChildFund and MAP International are working to improve access to diabetes medications, increase awareness, and enhance diabetes management programs, aiming to improve the lives of children and reduce the burden on families and healthcare systems.

The shipment primarily contains Type 2 diabetes medication. Additionally, it includes medicine and health supplies for treating dehydration, boosting the immune system, and ensuring sterile surgical conditions, among others.

‘’This partnership between MAP International and ChildFund has specifically benefitted Sierra Leone especially during COVID when essential drugs and equipment were in short supply worldwide,’’ said Victor Kamara, Country Director of ChildFund in Sierra Leone. ‘’The drugs are critical to treating diabetes cases among children and their parents. A parent suffering from diabetes is a nightmare for his/her child, and one child dying of the disease is a heartbreak to all of humanity.’’

Through our shared dedication to the health and well-being of children and families, ChildFund and MAP International together with Sierra Leone’s government are creating impact that will mean not only improved community health, but also stronger and more stable families nationwide,” said Isam Ghanim, President and CEO of ChildFund International. “This historic donation of medicine and health supplies, will make an immeasurable, lasting difference.”

ChildFund and MAP International have a successful history of partnering on highly impactful humanitarian initiatives. Since fiscal year 2020, the two nonprofit organizations have distributed $40 million in medicine and health supplies to vulnerable people around the world. Along with Sierra Leone, this includes collaborations in The Gambia, Zambia, Guinea, and Honduras.

Also, this is not the first time MAP and ChildFund have joined forces to help people in Sierra Leone.  During the COVID–19 pandemic, ChildFund and MAP were among the first to donate essential medicine and health supplies to the Sierra Leone government to boost its fight against the virus in the country.

This partnership comes at a time when the global landscape is witnessing a sharp rise in the costs of essential medications, placing significant strain on healthcare systems worldwide. Amid this already challenging reality, Sierra Leone’s economy has faced considerable hardships, intensifying the call for accessible and affordable healthcare solutions. 

About MAP International:

MAP International is a leading global non-profit humanitarian organization whose goal is to provide medicine for all people. With a strong legacy of humanitarian service spanning 70 years, MAP International continues to evolve and innovate in its mission to make the world a better place for everyone across the globe. Visit MAP.org for more information.

About ChildFund:

Founded in 1938, ChildFund International works in 23 countries throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas to connect children with what they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe. They emphasize child protection throughout their programming because violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect can reverse developmental gains in an instant. ChildFund has been working in Sierra Leone since 1985. Visit ChildFund.org for more information.

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