TIME has named Sierra Leonean midwife and public health leader, Isata Dumbuya, on its 2026 Women of the Year list, recognising 16 global leaders working toward a more equitable world.
The honour places Dumbuya alongside internationally acclaimed figures across entertainment, health, business and advocacy, including Teyana Taylor, Lucy Liu, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Mel Robbins, Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Chloé Zhao, Mariska Hargitay, Amy Sherald, Reshma Kewalramani, Sister Norma Pimentel, Safeena Husain, Mahnoor Omer, Kecia Steelman and Reshma Saujani.
For Sierra Leone, and for maternal health across the continent, this recognition carries weight far beyond the headline.
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Leading Maternal Health Transformation in Sierra Leone
Dumbuya serves as Director of Nursing and Midwifery for Partners In Health (PIH), Sierra Leone’s Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health programme. She played a central role in launching the Paul E. Farmer Maternal Centre of Excellence in Kono District, a 120-bed, state-of-the-art facility designed to strengthen maternal and neonatal care.
Developed in partnership with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health, the centre expands on an existing maternity ward and special care baby unit. It features three operating theatres, the country’s first neonatal intensive care unit and piped medical gas supplied directly to patient beds, a major advancement outside the capital, Freetown.
While Sierra Leone has made measurable progress in reducing maternal mortality over the past decades, women still face significant risks in pregnancy and childbirth. The Maternal Centre of Excellence aims to drive those numbers down through improved infrastructure, training and early intervention.Dumbuya’s leadership sits at the heart of that mission.
From the UK NHS to Kono District
Before returning home, Dumbuya spent 25 years serving in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service as a nurse, midwife and public health specialist. She brought that global experience back to Sierra Leone in 2018, determined to strengthen systems from within.
Her work extends beyond clinical oversight. She has prioritised training local nurses, midwives and doctors to the highest standards, ensuring sustainability and long-term capacity building. By working closely with communities and traditional birth attendants, she has also helped rebuild trust in formal healthcare facilities.
Her credentials reflect decades of dedication: Registered Nurse, Registered Midwife Specialist, Public Health Nurse, alongside multiple academic degrees and global health fellowships. Yet at the centre of her leadership is something simpler: a commitment to safe childbirth as a fundamental right.
The Maternal Centre of Excellence officially opened to the public on 14 February 2026 and will also function as a training hub for the next generation of Sierra Leonean health professionals.
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A Global Stage for Equitable Leadership
TIME’s Women of the Year project highlights leaders addressing the most urgent challenges facing women and girls today. This year’s list spans entertainment, science, activism and humanitarian leadership, reflecting the breadth of influence shaping a more equitable future.
Dumbuya’s inclusion underscores the importance of frontline health leadership in that global conversation. Her work demonstrates how institution-building, community trust and systems strengthening can directly save lives.
As global recognition meets local impact, Sierra Leone’s maternal health transformation now carries international visibility and momentum.
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