By: Precious Miracle Kargbo (Intern)
The Ministry of Health (MoH) and Health for all Coalition on 25th September 2023 engaged Civil Societies and the public on their role and activities to promote better health conditions in the country during a conference.
In his opening statement, Charles Mambu the Executive Director of Health for all Coalition cited the importance of the engagement on the theme “building partnership for better health outcome” which he claims targets to build and capacitate health standards in the country.
He said the conference will mainly look at sexual and reproductive health diseases that are merely affecting adolescent’s boys and girls in Sierra Leone.
Speaking on the work that Government is supposed to initiate in improving health conditions in the country, Alhassan Bakarr Kamara, the program Director of health for all coalition maintained that although there are some improvements in the health sector by the government but claims more needs to be done.
He furthers that the distribution of drugs into hospitals is a priority, the maintenance of hospitals and quality health care service to the public.
Alhassan continues that health care service is an issue that is becoming a menace in society, as lot of patients have lost their lives in hospitals because of the way nurses and doctors attend to these patients with little or no care from them.
He concluded that Government in its commitment to the public should ensure that these services are provided at all time to the public.
Furthermore, the program Coordinator for Public Health Alliance, Phillip Conteh also sheds light that working with communities and its members will be the best way to improve health conditions in the country. He said “as a public officer engaging the community is very paramount because it can help individuals to make consent and take decisions towards their health status”. Conteh laments that prevention is the backbone of public health and the best way to engage the public is through their various communities that will in turn yield good results on how they should maintain their health and continue to stay away from communicable diseases.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Health 1, Dr Charles Senesie amplifies that hearing all the engagement from the public and civil society organizations, he said it is evident that Government is working through every step of the way to improve health conditions in the country. Dr Charles also shares that Government has been in so many programs designed by the Ministry of Health and they have contributed in these activities by supporting the Ministry and it partners especially in community level.
Conclusively, the Deputy Minister, Dr Charles assures that the Ministry of Health will continue its monitoring duties in all public and private health institutions. He furthers that the Ministry of Health is ready to work with civil society organization and other bodies to improve quality of the health Sector in Sierra Leone.