November 5, 2021
BY MOHAMED M. SESAY
The Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation Dr. Anthony Sandy has yesterday the 4th November 2021, presented the Allied Health Professions Act of 2020 in the well of Parliament for Enactment. The proposed bill will now regulate and promote the operations of Community Health Practitioners across the country.
Explaining the Importance of the Bill to Members of Parliament, Dr. Sandy said the bill shall empower Allied Health Professionals to work in healthcare teams by providing a wide range of diagnostics, technical other functions that are very critical to the wellbeing of the people of Sierra Leone. He added that the bill shall also have a Counselling and Advisory Board for each cadre that will regulate all Allied Health Professionals.
The Deputy Minister also disclosed that the Allied Health Professional bill shall be relevant for government priorities as it will regulate and monitor the bulk of healthcare facilities in the country as government intends to improve Human Capital Development.
Dr. Sandy further elucidated that categories deemed as Allied Health Professionals include Community Health Practitioners, Community Health Technicians, and Community Health Assistant among others. He said the Ministry has done due diligence to the bill as extensive consultative meetings were conducted with representatives from the existing Health Professionals, various existing Health Pillars and the Ministry’s Administrative Personnel.
He continued that input from the leadership of Parliament especially from the Parliament Committee on Health and Sanitation, and other members of Parliament were done in a retreat stage at Tokeh Beach.
Dr. Sandy further disclosed that the intention of enacting the Allied Health Professions Bill is to regulate the standard of services provided by the Allied Health Workers; to effectively enable the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to monitor matters relating to the practices of these professionals; to conduct licenses for the registration of Allied Health Professionals; to conduct regular inspection of all Allied Health Professionals activities and to perform any other function as stipulated in the bill.
He recalled that in 2017, a Private Member Motion was raised in parliament for the establishment of a Community Head Practitioners especially community health officers. He added that the Act went through parliament which was sent to President Koroma to sign but President Koroma refused to sign and directed for the bill to go back to Parliament for due diligence.
“The Ministry of Health and Sanitation has agreed to come out with the Sierra Leone Allied Health Professions Bill for enactment. This bill shall be for Healthcare professionals distinct from Nurses, medicines and Pharmacies. In view of this Mr. Speaker Honorable Members, it is my pleasure to lay this Allied Health Professions Bill for Ratification”, he said.
After the first and Second reading of the Bill, a unified voice was echoed from Members of Parliament supporting the bill alluding to it as a non-controversial bill. However, a consensus was also reached by Members of Parliament to send the bill back at to Pre-legislative Committee in order to do due diligence to the bill. A motion was then moved by the Deputy Leader of Government Business Hon. Bashiru Silikie requested for the bill to be sent to the Pre-legislative committee of which a ruling was made by Mr. Speaker in that regard.