By: Problyn J. Alpha
The Newly Elected Executive Members of the Peripheral Health Unit Association in Kono District, have been officially inaugurated over the weekend at a ceremony held at the Maternal and Child Health Assistance School Hall on Bona Street in Koidu City Kono District.
In his inaugural speech, the chairman elect Peripheral Health Unit Association Albert Osman Vandy, thanked his colleagues for the confidence reposed on him to provide leadership for the association. He assured that with collaborative efforts, the association would live up to the abounding expectations of all and sundry in the district. Chairman vandy craved on the indulgence of the DHMT to maintain what he called chain of command for the effective operations of the association. He prayed for God’s direction in their decisions.
Making a statement, the District Medical Officer Dr. Mohamed Gbessay Sheku, thanked the membership of the PHU association in the district for a work well done and for the formation of the association. He noted that although their work has many challenges, he said the formation of the association has demonstrated leadership and governance in the day to day activities of the association.
He commended the association for being gender balanced and also expressed optimism that the sky will be the limit of the Association in terms of development. He therefore, urged the Executive Members of the PHU association to serve as conduit for the district health management team in terms of effective health service delivering in the peripheral of Kono District. He frowned at the reported unfriendly relationships that do exist among and between members of the association and their clients or patients.
Sister Sylvia Khobe, the Kono District health sister lauded both the past and present executive members of the association for standing the test of time since the inception of the association up to date. She maintained that the idea of quality service delivering and the retention of staff at their respective is laudable. She added that the PHU association as auxiliary to the District health management Team, is expected to display team work, capacity building strengthen for professional service delivering as medical practitioners.
According to the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Kono District Health Management Team, David Yopoi, the election and inauguration ceremonies were a novelty in the district and urged members of the Association especially the executives to maintain the present status quo. For the executive members to be on a sound footing with the general membership of the association, Mr. Yopoi Catalogued the following leadership virtues which include; influence, mobilization, persuasion and the carrot and stick approach which he described as the ability for men to do what they don’t like doing. “Irrespective of the abounding challenges the PHU staff are going through, their interventions have drastically cushioned the work load on the District Health management team”, he said.
The representative of the Nutrition unit of Kono District Health Management Team Agnes Sosokoneh, pointed out that the work of the association in the district is impressive and implored the members to live up to their abounding expectations. She admonished both the general membership and executives of the Association to be magnanimous and maintain office decorum.
The surveillance officer of Kono District Health Management Team Dr. Amara S. Moiba, highlighted the following for the success of the association and its executive members such as; professional development, problem solving skills, access to resources to name but a few. He urged the executives to use the essence of the association to give a face lift to the PHUs and the welfare of their colleague staff.
The occasion was climaxed with taking of oath of office by the executives of the PHU association and the vote of thanks which was done by the public relations officer Marie Janneh.
