©InfoTen long years of brutal civil war have had a devastating effect on the people of Sierra Leone – killing tens of thousands and maiming many physically as well as mentally. More than two million people were forced from their homes and into a life of abject poverty.
Now that the war is over, sickness and disease are the biggest threat to people’s lives.
Sierra Leone consistently falls at the bottom of the United Nations ranking of living conditions; it is currently rated 180 out of 182 countries (UN Human Development Index 2009). It also has one of the highest rates of maternal and child mortality in the world.
Health risks
Many communities have poor access to water and general sanitation is often appalling. The majority live in rural areas and rely on water from rivers, pools, shallow wells, springs and swamps, which is often dirty. They are vulnerable to outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, hepatitis A, cholera and typhoid fever.
Lassa fever spread by rats, yellow fever, malaria, meningitis, TB and sexually transmitted infections are also all serious concerns.
HIV and AIDS are on the increase and there are worries the situation will get even worse in a country where almost 43 per cent of the population are under the age of 15 .
Red Cross support
©InfoThe British Red Cross is supporting the Sierra Leone Red Cross in improving vulnerable people’s health and equipping them with the skills they need to prevent and respond to illness and injury in their own communities through a health programme, which covers:
- HIV and AIDS
- reproductive and child health
- water, sanitation and hygiene promotion
- prevention and control of communicable disease
- public health in emergencies; volunteers trained to respond to crises in their communities.
Find out how Red Cross volunteers trained in first aid are saving lives in their communities.
Read Musa's story
We value the support we receive very highly. The Red Cross has a permanent presence in communities across the world through our sister National Societies. We can therefore provide assurances that our donations are secure.
We invite supporters to become as involved in our work as they wish to, so they understand the impact their contribution makes to the lives of the people we help. We want our supporters to feel as much of a sense of ownership and pride in the Red Cross as we do.
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