Sierra Leone - Quality Essential Health Services and Systems Support Project : Additional Financing

Overview & Synopsis

The development objective of the Quality Essential Health Services and Systems Support Project (QEHSSSP) for Sierra Leone is to increase utilization and improve quality of maternal and child health services in the selected areas. This paper seeks approval for additional financing (AF) to the project as follows: (a) 6.99 million US dollars from the Pandemic Fund (PF); and (b) 5.59 million US dollars from the Global Financing Facility (GFF). In addition, QEHSSSP will undergo a level two restructuring. This restructuring will include the following: (a) reallocate costs across components and disbursement categories to intensify service delivery activities (Component 1) including comprehensive facility rehabilitations, equipment provision, pharmaceutical supply chain support; and enhanced RMNCAHN and medical referrals; (b) scale down the scope or cancel certain activities in order to prioritize national investments that support national-level systems (Component 2) closely aligned with service delivery activities; (c) cancel 5.59 million US dollars from the GFF EWEC Grant which will be rerouted through a new GFF trust fund; (d) extend the closing date of the GFF WCA Grant; (e) revise the theory of change and the results framework to: (i) address calculation errors and inconsistencies in certain indicators; and (ii) ensure better alignment between indicators and Project activities and current Corporate Scorecard (CSC) Indicators.