Sierra Leone News

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.

Two staff members from WHO Sierra Leone that participated in a Personal Effectiveness Training Workshop in Brazzaville shared their experiences with their colleagues at the Country Office by replicating the training. Ms Hannah Yankson and Mrs Edith Gray together with staff from other Country Offices attended the workshops from 4 to 7 December 2012 organized by the Staff Devel-opment and Learning Unit at the Regional Office in Brazzaville, Congo.

Sierra Leone commemorated World AIDS Day on 1 December 2012 on the theme Getting to zero new HIV Infection, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Death by 2015.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) validated its central and districts level 2013 annual operational plans in Freetown from 8-9 November 2012. The plans were validated in a 2 day workshop held for the health sector partners including the MoHS national level officials, District Health Management Teams, the local councils authorities and development partners including the UN, donor and Non-Governmental Organizations to contribute in the finalization of the plans that will guide operations of the sector.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation launched three documents on Reproductive and Child Health programme on 7 November 2012. The documents included Reproductive, Newborn and Child Health (RNCH) Policy 2011-2015, RNCH Strategy 2011-2015 and a Strategic Plan for Adolescent and Young People’s Health & Development 2011-2015. The Acting Minister of Health and Sanitation Hon. Borbor Sawyerr launched the documents. State functionaries, UN agencies and other development partners, and health implementing partners attended the ceremony.