RESEARCH

Introduction

Research is the backbone of effective healthcare. In Sierra Leone, where health challenges are complex and multifaceted, robust research programs are essential to understand the root causes of disease, evaluate interventions, and drive systemic change. At Aion Health SL, our commitment to research underpins every project, ensuring that our efforts are guided by data, adapted to local realities, and capable of generating sustainable health improvements.

The Need for Research

Despite progress, Sierra Leone’s health system suffers from a critical lack of reliable data. Without accurate information on disease prevalence, health behaviors, and service delivery outcomes, policies and programs often miss their mark.Moreover, rural and marginalized communities remain largely underrepresented in national health statistics.
Challenges include:

• Fragmented and outdated     health data system
• Limited research capacity at     community level
• Poor integration of     monitoring and evaluation in health programs
• Lack of local ownership of     data collection and use

To truly transform health outcomes, evidence must drive action—and that’s why research is central to Aion Health SL’s approach.

Our Approach to Research

At Aion Health SL, we employ a holistic, participatory research strategy grounded in the following principle

• Community-centered: Engaging local     stakeholders, health workers, and volunteers to ensure research relevance     and trust.
• Technology-enabled: Leveraging digital tools     like mobile data apps and dashboards for real-time monitoring and     analysis
• Capacity building: Training community members     in research methods to foster local expertise and sustainability.
• Collaborative: Partnering with academic     institutions, government, and NGOs to share knowledge and resources.
• Action-oriented: Prioritizing research that     informs practical interventions and policy decisions.

• Core Research Programs & Highlights1. Digital Health Data Platform
  
  • Objective: To create a real-time,     comprehensive digital dashboard tracking patient care, disease trends, and     resource availability across Aion’s programs.
  • Approach: Integrates mobile clinic     data, maternal health records, and WASH indicators, optimized for     low-bandwidth environments.
  • Highlights:
    
     
    • Captures over 1,000 data      points monthly from field clinics
     
    • Enables timely outbreak      alerts and intervention targeting
     
    • Supports transparent      reporting to stakeholders and donors
  2. Maternal & Child Health Outcomes Study
  • Objective: To evaluate the impact of     prenatal ultrasound screenings, Pharmacy for Pregnant Women, and mobile     clinics on reducing maternal and infant mortality.
  • Methodology: Longitudinal cohort     tracking, supplemented by qualitative interviews with mothers and     healthcare providers.
  • Highlights:
    
     
    • Early findings show      increased antenatal care attendance by 25% in target villages
     
    • Reduction in reported      delivery complications by 15% in pilot districts
     
    • Identification of key      barriers to care-seeking behaviors
  3. WASH Impact Evaluation
  • Objective: To assess how solar-powered     water systems and hygiene education influence disease rates and school     attendance.
  • Methods: Mixed-methods using health     surveillance data, school records, and household surveys.
  • Highlights:
    
     
    • 40% decrease in waterborne      illnesses reported after interventions
     
    • 18% improvement in girls’      school attendance linked to hygiene promotion
     
    • Community feedback used to      tailor hygiene messaging
  4. Community Health Volunteer Program Assessment
  • Objective: To measure volunteer     contributions to health education, case referrals, and data collection     quality.
  • Approach: Data triangulation from     volunteer logs, community surveys, and health facility records.
  • Highlights:
    
     
    • Volunteers facilitated a      30% increase in early malaria treatment uptake
     
    • High community trust levels      reported towards volunteer-led education session
    • Volunteers trained in      digital data entry, improving information accuracy
  5. Pilot Drone Delivery Feasibility Study(Upcoming)
  • Objective: To test the operational     viability and community acceptance of drone delivery for critical medical     supplies in remote areas.
  • Plan: Baseline data collection,     test flights, and participatory community feedback sessions.
  • Anticipated Impact: Faster delivery times,     expanded access to lifesaving maternal kits and vaccines, and enhanced     supply chain resilience.
  Research Outcomes & Impact Our research programs have already yielded valuable insights that shape Aion Health’s work and Sierra Leone’s broader health landscape:
  • Evidence-Based Adaptations: Program designs are     continuously refined based on emerging data, increasing effectiveness and     efficiency.
  • Policy Influence: Research findings     contribute to dialogues with health authorities, informing district and     national health strategies.
  • Community Empowerment: Training local health     volunteers in research fosters ownership, improves data quality, and     builds sustainable local capacity.
  • Transparency &     Accountability:     Real-time data dashboards enable transparent reporting, building trust     with communities and donors.
  • Innovation Catalyst: Research underpins the     deployment of cutting-edge solutions such as drone deliveries and mobile     health technology.
  Why Research Matters

‍In a context where resources are limited and health needs immense, research is more than an academic exercise—it is a lifeline. Accurate, timely data allows us to identify where care is most urgently needed, measure what works, and advocate for vulnerable populations. Research ensures that no community is invisible,and that every intervention is a step toward equitable, quality healthcare