Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has called on donor partners to support the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to strengthen healthcare delivery system.
Vice President Jalloh stated that the partnership with donors and the Ministry of Health with shared goals, will make the team understand where to fill the necessary gaps and harmonize resources.
He noted that the gathering of key players in a consortium will impact the health system and produce concrete results.
Dr Juldeh was speaking during the Saving Lives in Sierra Leone Phase two programme organized by Unite Consortium at Country Lodge, Hill Station in Freetown on Thursday March 31, 2022.
He Unite Consortium for the excellent work done, and for celebrating the several years of cooperation with the Government of Sierra Leone and successes gained in reproductive chain particularly about saving lives in Sierra Leone.
He commended the Consortium for the progress made in reducing maternal and infant mortality in Sierra Leone.
Dr. Jalloh informed about the Government of Sierra Leone bold steps taken to support healthcare delivery since the launch of the Universal Health Coverage Roadmap over a year ago.
“Although Sierra Leone is expected to meet the Abuja Declaration of 15% budget to health, Government has increased health budget to 11.2% since 2018. Budget has enabled Sierra Leone to support healthcare delivery”, the Vice President stated.
He explained about Government cash support of Le40 billion Leones to the National Emergency Medical Service, the construction and refurbishing of healthcare infrastructure, double increase in the population of nurses, and continuous investment of doctors’ post graduate training as some of the successes of the Government.
Nutrition is one critical challenge, Vice President Jalloh said, is impacting maternal health across the country. He elaborated about the Le5 billion specifically for nutrition included in this year’s national budget by the Government of Sierra Leone meant to support pregnant women and under five children. The budget is to ensure pregnant women have support and give birth to kids that will grow up in a healthy manner.
Vice President spoke about the functional review undertaken by the Ministry of Health with the purpose of improving the ministry’s human resource and to encourage medical doctors to be in hospitals rather than offices. He explained about plans to explore possibility for Public Private Partnership (PPP) to manage and strengthen drug distribution in the country.
Dr. Jalloh disclosed plans by Government to roll out the Sierra Leone Health Insurance Trust Scheme with the aim to enable Sierra Leoneans access healthcare delivery. The scheme will provide platform where both formal and informal workers will have access to insurance that enables them to have medical service. He referred to commercial motorbike riders as examples of an informal sector that will benefit from the scheme. Vice President Jalloh expressed satisfaction with the active role of the Consortium in preventing pregnancy among school going girls in Sierra Leone.
By: Aaron Bundu Lahai-Head of Media & Public Relations