Pamela Bockarie

PhD Overview

My research analyses spatio-temporal patterns of childhood infectious diseases in Sierra Leone, examining the associations between health facility readiness, water point functionality, disease prevalence, and healthcare utilisation among children under-five, while controlling for socio-economic and demographic factors. This investigation is particularly timely given Sierra Leone’s fragile health infrastructure, which has been substantially weakened following successive health emergencies, including the devastating 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak and the ongoing mpox outbreak. The study employs a comprehensive analytical framework grounded in healthcare access theory, integrating spatial and statistical modelling to identify disease hotspots and regional pockets of low healthcare utilisation across Sierra Leone’s districts. The findings are expected to provide evidence-based recommendations for targeted health system strengthening interventions and contribute to understanding how integrated infrastructure improvements can enhance childhood health outcomes in resource-constrained settings.