By: Mohamed Sahr mohamedsahrpro@gmail.com
Pushing forward to working in line with the trend of the digital space and ensure Sierra Leoneans get quality, affordable and accessible healthcare services across the country, Ministry of Health has unveiled National Digital Health Roadmap to ascertain effective health service delivery on Tuesday 12th December 2023 at Bintumani Complex in Freetown.
Dr. Austin Demby, Minister of Health said National Digital Health Roadmap focuses on the digitalization of the country’s health system from linear paper based to an electronic system that catches up the trend of other countries in the world. Dr. Demby revealed that health records are now electronic in most countries of the world and Sierra Leone remains ambitious to the success of the new normal.
He mentioned that Telemedicine and consultation is a familiar feat which many countries have held in high esteem. “Even though the Ministry has a Digital Health Strategy operationalizing across the nation, but the strategy requires a roadmap,” Dr. Demby said.
He alluded that the roadmap prescribes how to digitize health service planning and delivery to the people more efficiently and effectively.
Minister of Health added that the Essential Health Service Package gives the Ministry the opportunity to document and defines what services are provided at what facilities and what human resources and structural requirements are to be in place at specific facilities.
Dr. Demby furthered that the Essential Health Service Package helps the citizens to be aware of what they are entitled to at their local health centers.
“The Government of Sierra Leone continues to reiterate its commitment to improving the lives and livelihoods of its people through quality, accessible, and affordable health service delivery,” Dr. Demby said.
He reaffirmed that the Government of Sierra Leone would continue to provide more funding and the political will to ensure that access to quality healthcare does not become a financial burden on individual Sierra Leoneans.
Dr. Demby emphasized that the commemoration of the Global Universal Health Coverage Day with theme “Health for all: Time for Action resonates with the Government commitment to achieving universal health coverage in the country, and safeguarding the well-being of the people in a bid to foster healthier life stages.
He highlighted the gains Sierra Leone has made ranging from the robust and resilient approach in defeating the Ebola epidemic, COVID-19 pandemic, the reduction of infant mortality rates to 4.43% per one thousand life births among others.
Dr. Demby revealed that they hope to establish health insurance scheme that improves health outcomes in the country, and engage in partnerships and projects to achieve its plan.
Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, Minister of Finance said they would continue to support Ministry of Health’s intervention in enhancing accessible, affordable and quality healthcare services in the country through the five life stages approach.
He stated that the Ministry would scale up the intervention on maternal adolescent care, sexual reproductive education among others especially in the essential services package.
“We are committed to ensuring that we embrace our partners to buy into the vision of Ministry of Health,” Fantamadi Bangura said.
Minister of Finance furthered that they would remain supportive in reengineering the infrastructures and workforce system in the country. He committed to support the Nation Public Health Agency with the necessary resources.
Salima Monorma Bah, Minister of Communication Technology and Innovation said in partnership with the Ministry of Health, they have established E-health records that focus on digitalized medical and test results across the country. She mentioned that with the impact of COVID-19 they engaged in remote consultation among citizens.
She furthered that with the important of technology, they have able to contextualize information delivery system in different languages spoken in the country. “We have established a drone corridor in the country that deliver essential medical packages to far-reaching places,” she stated.
Madam Monorma Bah revealed that they have got fiber backbones as a fundamental infrastructure that would prioritize communication and technology in rural areas.
Nadia Rasheed, Country Representative of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Vice Chair of Health Development Partners commended the Ministry of Health for taking leadership in developing the life stages framework which many countries around the world are yearning to replicate.
She said the National Digital Health Roadmap and the Essential Health Service Package would continue to drive the strategic and ambitious vision for improving health care system in the nation.
Innocent Nuwagira, WHO/United Nations Representative thanked the Government of Sierra Leone in prioritizing Universal Health Coverage with its 11.6% contribution in extending progress towards the Abuja Declaration of 15%.
Dayo Spencer Walters, Acting Health Office Director of USAID said Sierra Leone’s National Digital Health Roadmap serves as an important document that aligns with investment from partners and supporting development. She revealed that the country has become the first within the sub-Saharan Africa region to fully transform the health sector from paper based to digital system. “USAID Sierra Leone hopes to support community health workers to use digital health system to standardize and improve patient wellness,” Spencer Walters reassured.
