The impact of Ebola on the health system in Sierra Leone has been devastating. As
the country is on course to attaining zero cases of Ebola, there is a renewed
emphasis on building a resilient health system that is capable of handling future
epidemics, but more importantly able to provide effective primary health care
especially for women and children.
Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, estimated
at about 1,165 per 100,000 live births 1
. Several improvements to the health system
and service delivery will be required to reduce maternal mortality and end
preventable maternal deaths. As part of a wider approach, maternity waiting homes
(MWHs) are often used to improve access to skilled obstetric services 2
. This
literature review summarises the most pertinent studies and articles on maternity
waiting homes in Sierra Leone and similar contexts in Africa.