their right to free medical care. A dialysis machine, the first of its kind in the country, was donated by Israel. According to an Overseas Development Institute report, private health expenditure accounts for 85.7% of total spending on health. . Emergency medical response Having had no formal emergency medical services previously, the First Responder Coalition of Sierra Leone (FRCSL) was formed in June 2019 in Makeni to facilitate the development of emergency first responder programs nationwide. The founding members of the Coalition included the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society (the first chairing organisation), LFR International (proposed the formation), the University of Makeni, Agency for Rural Community Transformation, and the Holy Spirit Hospital. The establishment of the Coalition was concurrent with the declaration by the 72nd World Health Assembly that emergency care systems are essential to universal health coverage. Between June and July 2019, the FRCSL trained 1,000 community members from Makeni to be first responders and equipped each trainee with a first aid kit. Endemic and infectious diseases Sierra Leone suffers from epidemic outbreaks of diseases, including yellow fever, cholera, Ebola, lassa fever and meningitis. Yellow fever and malaria are endemic to Sierra Leone. Maternal and child health According to 2017 estimates, Sierra Leone has the third highest maternal mortality rate in the world. For every 100 liveborn children, one mother dies due to complications of giving birth. In the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) conducted by UNICEF in 2012, the prevalence of female genital mutilation in Sierra Leone was 94%. , Sierra Leone was estimated as having the 11th highest infant mortality rate in the world. One of the consequences women in Sierra Leone face after a prolonged and obstructed labour that would have required a c-section is obstetric fistula. This condition often drives women into poverty and isolation. The AWC- Aberdeen Women's Centre in Freetown, the second busiest hospital in Sierra Leone, delivering up to 3000 babies each year. The centre provides free surgery for women suffering from this condition. The centre provides a variety of maternal and child health services and is supported by not for profit organisations such as Freedom from Fistula, The Aminata Maternal Foundation, and UNFPA. Mental health Mental healthcare in Sierra Leone is almost non-existent. Many sufferers try to cure themselves with the help of traditional healers. During the Civil War (1991–2002), many soldiers took part in atrocities and many children were forced