Sierra Leone News

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) launched the first Integrated National Waste Management Policy and Strategy, and an Integrated Vector Management Strategic Plan on 12 April 2012. The occasion was also used to distribute the Country Report of the Situation Analysis and Needs As-sessment on Health and Environment. The documents were launched by Dr Abu Bakarr Fofanah, Deputy Minister-1 of MoHS.

Sierra Leone will conduct maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination (MNTE) validation survey in April 2013. The exercise will be conducted in Port Loko District which has been one of the high risk districts in the country and will be carried out by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation with technical and financial support of WHO and UNICEF. The survey will target all live births delivered between 1 March 2012 and 1 March 2013 as well as women within the reproductive age bracket of 15-49 years.

The World Health Organization (WHO) supported the Sierra Leone Roads Transport Authority (SLRTA) to validate the National Road Safety Strategic Plan (2013-2015) in a 2 day multi stakeholders’ workshop held from 13-14 March 2013 in Freetown.  Some of the partners at the meeting included the  Sierra Leone Police, insurance companies, motor drivers’ union and vehicle owners,  health officials and line ministries, the local councils, civil society and partners including WHO among others.

In this Issue

1. Development of Sierra Leone 2013 Health Sector Annual Operational Plan
2. Sierra Leone develops Human Resource for Health Policy and Strategic Plan

Sierra Leone Newsletter: November-December 2012

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) has started adaptation of the generic WHO Disease Outbreak Communication Training Handbook to strengthen outbreak communication in the country. The process com-menced with review of the document to decide on the changes that need to be introduced to customize it to the Sierra Leonean context. The purpose of the handbook is to guide users to design and carry out communication and social mobilisation activities to create awareness, promote behaviour change to prevent and control disease outbreaks. 

Sierra Leone launched the first round 2013 polio immunization campaign on 24 January 2013 in Moyamba District. This was integrated with the Maternal and Child Health Week (MCHW) Campaign The event was launched by Dr Abu Bakarr Fofanah, Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation (MoHS). In his address Dr Fofanah stated that scaling up of maternal and child health services is a high priority on the government’s agenda. He urged the full participation of stakeholders for a successful outcome of the campaign.

Sierra Leone will conduct first round 2013 Maternal and Child Health Week (MCHW) Campaign from 24-28 January 2013. Preparations for the campaign are underway. Trainings/orientations were done for Civil Soci-ety Organizations (CSOs), Independent Monitors (IM), National Super-visors, Zonal and District Teams. The media have also been briefed for awareness raising and social mobilizations activities including street to street announcements are ongoing. Trainings of vaccinators/distributors commenced on 22 and will end 23 January in all the districts.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) in collaboration with its health sector partners validated 2013 Sector Annual Operational Plan (AOP) in a two day workshop held on 8-9 January 2013. The AOP was developed by consolidating 19 Local Council Health Plans, 21 Hospital Plans and the Central Level Plan which were individually validated and finalized in November 2012 with the input of the health sector partners. The initial validation processes helped the sector to align and endorse plans at all levels based on the available resource envelop.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) launched four pharmaceutical policy documents on 14 December 2012 in Freetown. The documents included the National Medicines Policy, National Essential Medicines List, Standard Treatment Guidelines for Primary Level Prescribers and a National Formulary. The policy documents were launched by Dr Alhassan Seisay, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry on behalf of the Acting Minister of Health. Participants at the event included officials of the MoHS, WHO, the Pharmaceutical Society, civil society and Non-Governmental Organizations.

The training targeted health workers from Kambia, Port Loko Districts and the Western Area. The cadre of the participants included medical doctors and nurses, national and district disease surveillance officers, laboratory tech-nicians, pharmacists, M&E and health education officers as well as sector partners such as the Office of National Security.