WHO Donates Eight Vehicles to Health Ministry to Bolster Emergency Response
By George M.O. Williams
Freetown, Sierra Leone – The World Health Organization (WHO) has strengthened Sierra Leone’s public health emergency response by donating eight vehicles to the Ministry of Health (MOH) as part of its Emergency Preparedness Response (EPR) initiative. The handing-over ceremony took place on Friday, September 13, 2024, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Freetown.
The donation includes six brand-new utility double-cabin pickup trucks and two fully equipped ambulances, aimed at enhancing the country’s capacity to respond to public health emergencies.
This contribution comes in response to the increasing number of complex public health challenges facing Africa, with the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing Mpox outbreaks underscoring the critical need for robust national preparedness, detection, and response systems.
Speaking at the event, WHO Country Representative Dr. Innocent Nuwagira highlighted the key components of the EPR initiative, which includes Promoting the Resilience of Systems for Emergencies (PROSE), Transforming African Surveillance Systems (TASS), and Strengthening and Utilizing Response Groups for Emergencies (SURGE). In collaboration with the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Sierra Leone has developed a two-year national roadmap to implement these flagship initiatives.
“Just last month, 72 multidisciplinary public health emergency responders successfully completed a month-long training on emergency management,” Dr. Nuwagira said, noting WHO’s ongoing commitment to strengthening Sierra Leone’s health system and its capacity to respond to health threats.
Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby expressed gratitude to WHO for being a trusted partner, noting that the vehicles will be critical in preventing, preparing for, and responding to health emergencies, including the recent Mpox outbreak in neighbouring Guinea.
The donation is seen as a vital step in bolstering the country’s public health infrastructure and ensuring a timely and effective response to future health crises.