Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 0.134 per 1,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.134 per 1,000 people
Change on year
up 83.6%
World rank
180th
of 194 countries
All-time high
0.134 per 1,000 people
in 2022
All-time low
0.0155 per 1,000 people
in 2008
Years of data
16
1960–2022
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sierra Leone, 1960–2022
Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 0.134 per 1,000 people for medical doctors per 1,000 people in 2022. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
The figure is up 83.6% on the previous year and up 415.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sierra Leone peaked at 0.134 per 1,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.0155 per 1,000 people, in 2008.
Sierra Leone ranks 180th of 194 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.047 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 0.059 per 1,000 people | +25.5% |
| 1970 | 0.056 per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 1975 | 0.054 per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 0.058 per 1,000 people | +7.4% |
| 1981 | 0.053 per 1,000 people | -8.6% |
| 1984 | 0.075 per 1,000 people | +41.5% |
| 1996 | 0.073 per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 0.031 per 1,000 people | -57.5% |
| 2008 | 0.0155 per 1,000 people | -50.0% |
| 2010 | 0.022 per 1,000 people | +41.9% |
| 2011 | 0.026 per 1,000 people | +18.2% |
| 2018 | 0.075 per 1,000 people | +188.5% |
| 2019 | 0.033 per 1,000 people | -56.0% |
| 2020 | 0.073 per 1,000 people | +121.2% |
| 2022 | 0.134 per 1,000 people | +83.6% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 0.134 per 1,000 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.1455 per 1,000 people, 92% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 0.134 per 1,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.188 per 1,000 people, 71% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.053 per 1,000 people | 0.047 per 1,000 people | 0.059 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.055 per 1,000 people | 0.054 per 1,000 people | 0.056 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.062 per 1,000 people | 0.053 per 1,000 people | 0.075 per 1,000 people | 3 |
| 1990s | 0.073 per 1,000 people | 0.073 per 1,000 people | 0.073 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 2000s | 0.0232 per 1,000 people | 0.0155 per 1,000 people | 0.031 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 2010s | 0.039 per 1,000 people | 0.022 per 1,000 people | 0.075 per 1,000 people | 4 |
| 2020s | 0.1035 per 1,000 people | 0.073 per 1,000 people | 0.134 per 1,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More health data for Sierra Leone
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.34 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.773 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,199 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,209 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.6447 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0663 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.6611 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sierra Leone?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Sierra Leone was 0.134 per 1,000 people in 2022, according to World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 0.134 per 1,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0155 per 1,000 people in 2008.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Sierra Leone ranks 180th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 415.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Medical doctors per 1,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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