Perspective Chapter: Health Facilities and Services in Rural Sierra Leone – Implication for Longevity and Well Being of Her Citizenry

Abstract

Sierra Leoneans face multiple barriers to accessing health facilities and services in rural communities leading to morbidity and mortality. The objective of this paper is to identify some of these challenges and proffer possible solutions to mitigate morbidity and mortality in rural communities and prolong the lives of their citizenry. The lack of money, the use of cheaper traditional medicines versus expensive medicines at health centers, lack of confidence in health workers, and transportation access to reach health facilities are barriers to accessing health facilities and services by rural community people. The above barriers outline was obtained through thirty years of interaction, discussion, and observations with people and health workers in rural communities. Possible solutions include the provision of free health care, ambulances to ease transportation, the integration of traditional medicine into the national health system, and the encouragement of rural community people to engage in multiple cropping every year. The above solutions and many others will encourage the citizenry in rural communities to attend health facilities and services in the country’s rural towns and villages.