Sierra Leone News

In this Issue
1. Harmonization of Partners Financial Arrangement
2. Assessment of Nutrition Interventions in the Western Area
3. Launch of a Partnership for Safe Medicines Initiative
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Harmonization and Alignment of Development Partners Financial Management Arrangements
Background

Sierra Leone commemorated World AIDS Day 2011 on 1 December on a theme “Getting to zero new infection by 2015” with the campaign slogan, „Believe it! Do it!. The Day is commemorated every year to heighten awareness, promote the existing available services, advocate for positive attitudes towards people living with the disease as well as to reflect and renew commitments on the fight against HIV and AIDS.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) in partnership with its stakeholders organized a two-day retreat from December 15 to 16, 2011. The retreat brought together key stakeholders under MoHS leadership to review and agree on key policy areas of focus in the medium-term as provided for by the country compact.

Government of Sierra Leone and Health partners on 19 December 2011 signed the Country Compact which was witnessed by His Excellency the President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma. In His statement, the President thanked the health sector for their commitment to work in a more coordinated manner to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

Dr Wondi Alemu, WHO Representative handed over various items worth US$600,000 to Hon Minister of Health & Sanitation, Mrs Zainab Bangura on behalf of the WHO Director General, Dr Margaret Chan and the Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo on 19 March 2012. The Representative stated that WHO has prioritized building capacity of MoHS to take owner-ship of its programmes thereby ensuring strengthened and sustained health system for better health outcomes in the country. He assured WHO's continued support to improve the country's health indicators.

Directorate of Drug and Medical Supplies in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation held a technical stakeholders consensus meeting from 11-12 January 2012 to further deliberate on the draft National Medicines Policy, National Essential Medicines Lists, Standard Treatment Guidelines, and National Formulary. Updating of the Na-tional Medicines Policy and its component documents and their sub-sequent implementation seek to strengthen pharmaceutical care de-livery in the country.

Preparation leading to the implementation of the first round of 2012 polio National Immunisation Days (NIDs) Campaign are on-going in Sierra Leone. Chiefdom level micro-plannings have been completed and compiled at district and national levels; and orientation of civil society groups, training of National Supervisors, Independent Monitors and the media have been done. The trainings would be rolled out to the districts and chiefdom levels with the objective to ensure quality training of vaccinators and to increase participation of community stakeholders.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation launched a partnership for safe medicines initiative on 17 January 2012. The initiative is aimed at ensuring quality, effica-cy and safety of all medicines and promotion of rational use of medicines among healthcare providers and patients.

In this Issue

Central Public Health Reference Laboratory (CPHRL) of Sierra Leone has been provisionally accredited to undertake measles and Yellow Fever (YF) laboratory diagnoses in the country by World Health Organization. The experts from WHO Headquarters and Inter-country Support Team of West Africa awarded the provisional accreditation following intensive bench training on laboratory diagnosis techniques and thorough assessment of the suitability of the laboratory set up.