Born on the 6th September 1970, Dr Martin Maada Salia attended the Roman Catholic Boys Primary School and the Yengema Secondary School in Kono. He did his Sixth Form at the Prince of Wales Secondary School in Freetown.

From 1992-2000  he trained at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) and successfully  came out with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. Dr. Salia joined the Civil Service as Temporary Houseman in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation on 1st July 2001, attached to the Connaught Hospital and later served as Medical Officer.

He proceeded for further studies in General Surgery overseas with the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons(PANACS), University of California from 2004-2008  and qualified as a General Surgeon Specialist.

Dr. Salia after his services outside Sierra Leone decided to return home to offer his expertise and experience as a Surgeon Specialist, and on the 9th December 2011 appointed Senior Registrar (Surgeon) in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

His work experience includes services at the Banso Baptist Hospital Cameroon as General and SIGN Surgeon, Cardiothorasic and General Trauma Surgery in Tenwek andKijabe hospitals in Kenya from 2007-2008. Dr. Salia also worked at the UBC Hospital Mattru, Bonthe district as Doctor In-Charge, and served as Country Doctor for the Staff and Department of MSF France.

He is survived by his wife and two sons.