Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-01Who holds the health record in Sierra Leone?
In 2026, Sierra Leone scores 27 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 173= of 196 countries (likely range 150 to 189), in the Weak band (25 to 44). Who holds the keys: Institutional. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-01.
Sierra Leone has no data protection law yet, so patient rights rest on a health ministry policy while most clinics still keep paper records.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in Sierra Leone?
Access to the full record scores 32 of 100 in Sierra Leone, against a median of 43 across 196 countries. No health law gives patients a right to a copy of their record. The Right to Access Information Act 2013 lets anyone request information from public bodies within 15 working days, but whether hospitals honour it for medical records is not verified.
Can I control who sees my health record in Sierra Leone?
Control and consent scores 25 of 100 in Sierra Leone, against a median of 30 across 196 countries. The 2007 HIV Act requires written consent to disclose an HIV test result, and a 2021 ministry policy asks for written consent before sharing with third parties. There is no opt-out or access log, and the data terms of a December 2025 US health MOU are unpublished.
Eight rights, against Liberia, Namibia, South Sudan and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 32 | 28 · 28 · 34 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 25 | 25 · 25 · 24 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 28 | 32 · 28 · 22 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 24 | 22 · 25 · 20 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 22 | 25 · 18 · 20 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 17 | 15 · 22 · 18 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 46 | 46 · 43 · 43 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 22 | 25 · 20 · 20 |
Black dot: Sierra Leone. Hollow dots: Liberia, Namibia, South Sudan (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 196 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Sierra Leone 27, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would Sierra Leone need to change to score higher?
Sierra Leone sits in Weak (25 to 44); Mixed starts at 45. The two rights furthest below the 196-country median, weighted, are privacy and security (28, median 45) and protection from commercial use (22, median 45). The published rubric reads:
- Privacy and security: Health-sector enforcement on the record: an independent regulator deciding health-data cases, breach notification and penalties applied.
- Protection from commercial use: Clear limits on selling health data or using it for marketing, covering apps and data brokers as well as providers.
Which laws give health record rights in Sierra Leone?
- Right to Access Information Act, 2013 (2013): Right to information held by public bodies within 15 working days; cost-based fees allowed.
- Prevention and Control of HIV and AIDS Act, 2007 (2007): Confidential HIV results, written consent for disclosure and research, no forced testing for insurance.
- Data Protection and Right to Access Information Bill, 2025 (pending) (2025): First data protection law; one authority for privacy and information access. Approved by Cabinet, not enacted.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 1.3 2022
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 11.6 2022
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- 54.8% 2023
- Record reaches private care?
- unknown
Published stories
- none published in the last two years
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