By: Haja Hawa Koroma
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation has issued out a Press Release on the 27th June 2022, where it was stated that the Ministry will officially be taking over the COVID-19 functions from the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Center (NaCOVERC) effective Friday, 1st July 2022.
Furthermore, MoHS wishes to thank the staff of NaCOVERC and partners that helped in the fight against the pandemic for their excellent services rendered to the nation over the past two years. Meanwhile, the threat of Covid-19 remains a major concern for not only Sierra Leone but the World at large.
The MoHS intends to ensure that COVID-19 services be seamlessly integrated into the healthcare routine delivery services after the transitioning of the response team to the MoHS. The knowledge and experience acquired, the investments made and the assets available from the COVID-19 response would now be used to not only respond to COVID-19 cases but to also continue to strengthen the healthcare system.
Throughout the transitioning, the MoHS will exercise all efforts to maintain national resilience while coordinating and collaborating with all stakeholders, and they will continue to operate an Incident Management System with an active Situation Room and all the relevant programmatic pillars.
The Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby said “As we rebuild resilient health systems in the middle of a pandemic, we want to underscore a whole-of-government approach that includes all line-Ministries working with our development partners and civil society to ensure that all of our pre-pandemic gains in the health sector are not lost”.
The general public is advised to continue wearing face mask as appropriate, to maintain hand hygiene, practice social distancing and to be fully vaccinated as the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet.
