Despite a 74% reduction in maternal mortality since 2000, Sierra Leone still records one of the highest maternal death rates in the world—354 deaths per 100,000 live births as of 2023. This is far above the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70 deaths per 100,000 by 2030.

During the BabyChecker webinar, Dr. Elijah Charles, Medical Superintendent at Lion Heart Medical Centre, shared how BabyChecker is filling urgent gaps in maternal care delivery across rural Sierra Leone.

“Rural settings in Sierra Leone mostly lack electricity… even our hospital is solar powered, but the township itself has no electricity,” Dr. Charles explained. “This makes it difficult to establish a standard ultrasound scan.”

Bridging infrastructure gaps with practical solutions

To address these challenges, BabyChecker has been deployed in areas that are difficult to reach, where conventional ultrasound systems are impractical. Using just a smartphone, a connected probe, and basic training, local maternal and child health aides now perform essential prenatal scans.

“This can be done by practically anyone. You do not have to undergo specialized professional training… and it does not require uninterrupted electricity supply,” said Dr. Charles. The Lion Heart team is currently conducting a validation study to compare BabyChecker results with standard ultrasound results. While results are pending, the day-to-day value of the tool is already evident.

“In our communities, we’re having less maternal mortality now compared to the time before BabyChecker was introduced. When high-risk pregnancies are detected, patients are referred early—and we intervene promptly,” he reported.

Simple, cost-effective, portable

BabyChecker’s advantages in Sierra Leone’s rural settings include:

  • Ease of use with minimal training
  • No reliance on grid power—just a charged phone
  • Low setup cost compared to standard ultrasound machines
  • Portability for outreach in remote villages

Call for expansion

However, availability remains limited. Dr. Charles urged further investment to increase distribution to other Peripheral Health Units (PHUs) and communities. “Investing more into it can help reduce maternal mortality and maybe help us achieve the UN’s 2030 goal,” he emphasized.