Freetown, 2nd March 2026 – Sierra Leonean midwife Isata Dumbuya has been named one of Time Magazine’s Women of the Year, celebrated for her extraordinary work in transforming maternal health care in her home district of Kono.
After serving 25 years with the U.K.’s National Health Service, Dumbuya returned to Sierra Leone, where maternal mortality rates remained among the highest in the world. She joined Partners in Health as head of nursing and midwifery, determined to confront a crisis that had left health workers desensitized and women fearful of seeking care.
Her early months at Kono’s government hospital were marked by heartbreaking losses. “There were just so many women dying, when another one dies, it’s almost like ‘Well, what can I do?’” she recalled. Patients often arrived in critical condition, sometimes transported on motorbikes, while staff lacked the training and resources to save them.
Dumbuya set out to change that. She secured vital medical supplies, trained staff to recognize danger signs, and built trust with communities by working alongside traditional birth attendants. Her vision was clear: to create a sustainable system led by highly trained Sierra Leonean professionals.
That vision took a major step forward last year with the completion of the Paul E. Farmer Maternal Center of Excellence in Kono. The state-of-the-art facility, which opened on February 14, houses Sierra Leone’s first neonatal intensive care unit and promises to revolutionize maternal and child health care in the region.
“We are looking forward to that so much, that first baby!” Dumbuya said with pride, reflecting on the center’s opening.
Her recognition by Time Magazine places Sierra Leone’s maternal health challenges on the global stage, while honoring the resilience and leadership of a woman who returned home to save lives and inspire change.
