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  An estimated 77,000 people in Sierra Leone are currently living with HIV/AIDS, according to the National AIDS Secretariat (NAS). Of this number, approximately 70,000 individuals are actively receiving treatment. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, NAS Director General Abdul Rahman Sesay emphasized that HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence but a manageable condition. He urged Sierra Leoneans to undergo HIV testing and initiate treatment early to suppress the virus and prevent its transmission. Sesay highlighted the country’s significant progress in combating the epidemic and expressed optimism about achieving the 98/98/98 treatment target by the end of 2025. This ambitious goal aims to ensure that 98% of people living with HIV are diagnosed, 98% of those diagnosed receive treatment, and 98% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression. However, challenges persist, particularly the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. Sesay stressed the importance of addre...

 In a decisive move to uphold accountability, the Sierra Leone Parliament’s 2024 Sub-Appropriation Committee Group Six, chaired by Hon. Ambrose Maada Lebby, stood down the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs on Thursday, December 5, 2024. The action was taken after both ministries appeared before the committee with incomplete documents during a session held at the Parliament Administrative Building’s conference room. The two ministries, crucial to Sierra Leone’s economic and cultural development, were sent back to reorganize and instructed to reappear on Monday. Hon. Lebby criticized their failure to meet the November 11 deadline for document submission, stating that their late and incomplete documentation demonstrated a lack of respect for parliamentary processes. “They were sorting through their documents in front of us this morning. That is unacceptable and an affront to Parliament. We cannot entertain such behavior,” Hon. ...