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Sierra Leone has taken a major stride in strengthening its public well being infrastructure with the revealing of the Nationwide Public Well being Company (NPHA). This pivotal initiative, launched on December 14, 2023, by H.E. President Brigadier Rtd Dr. Julius Maada Bio, displays the federal government’s resolute dedication to reinforce the well-being of its residents and construct a resilient healthcare system able to addressing current well being challenges.
The World Well being Group (WHO) joined the refrain of congratulations, commending His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, the Ministry of Well being, and the individuals of Sierra Leone on this milestone. The presence of H.E the President, The First Woman, Chief Minister and several other Senior Cupboard Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Ambassadors and Heads of Diplomatic Missions, Heads of UN Companies, Well being Division companions, and neighborhood representatives on the major operate underscored the significance of the whole-of-government and whole-of-society method to problems with well being safety within the nation.
Launching the NPHA, President Bio said “for much too lengthy, our individuals have confronted the burden of ailments and insufficient entry to healthcare. As a nation now we have been rampaged by epidemics reminiscent of cholera and Ebola virus; and the latest COVID-19 pandemic additional uncovered the vulnerabilities of our healthcare system. The institution of the NPHA indicators our dedication to the well-being of our residents and the development of our public well being infrastructure.” He framed the NPHA as a daring declaration to construct a resilient public well being system able to stopping, detecting, and responding to a mess of well being threats.
In a video message relayed through the launch, the WHO Director-Common, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated H.E. the President, Minister of Well being, and the individuals of Sierra Leone for this momentous achievement. “It’s a foundational establishment that may strengthen the well being of the nation, offering science-based management, experience, and coordination for public well being.” Mentioned Dr. Tedros. He added that this work builds on the continued help by way of the WHO Regional Emergency Preparedness and Response Flagship program, and the nation’s ongoing Common Well being and Preparedness Evaluate.
Dr. Tedros additional noticed that in latest a long time, Sierra Leone had suffered a sequence of great well being emergencies, together with the Ebola outbreak, COVID-19 and others that strained the well being system. He added that the brand new nationwide public well being company builds on the teachings discovered from these experiences and can construct the mandatory resilience to make sure higher detection and response to future well being emergencies. Committing WHO’s continued help to the federal government and other people of Sierra Leone, Dr. Tedros stated “WHO is proud to help Sierra Leone to guard, promote and supply well being, together with by way of offering gear and supporting coaching and capability constructing for the company.”
The Minister of Well being, Dr Austin Demby, thanked H.E the President, authorities of Sierra Leone, WHO, and different well being improvement companions for his or her unwavering help. He reiterated his ministry’s dedication to work with WHO and all different improvement companions to make sure that the company survives, thrives and transforms detection, prevention and response to well being emergencies within the nation. He empathized a collaborative method using the whole-of-government and whole-of society in addition to client-centered life phases method to common healthcare within the nation.
Representing the UN Resident Coordinator, Dr. Harmless Nuwagira, the WHO Consultant, recommended the high-level political will and dedication demonstrated by President Bio and his authorities. He emphasised the UN household’s dedication to supporting the NPHA in changing into a fit-for-purpose and accountable establishment. Dr. Nuwagira said, “With the right help from the Authorities and related stakeholders, the NPHA could make vital contributions to emergency preparedness and response at worldwide, nationwide, and sub-national ranges.” He underscored the significance of implementing the Worldwide Well being Rules (IHR) of 2005 and establishing multisectoral coordination mechanisms and core public well being features for efficient emergency preparedness and response.
Professor Foday Sahr, Government Director of the NPHA, highlighted the company’s strategic function in managing public well being emergencies through the ceremony. Expressing gratitude to Minister of Well being Dr. Austin Demby and the Ministry of Well being senior management, Prof Sahr emphasised the NPHA’s collaborative method. “The NPHA is not going to function in isolation, utilizing the One Well being platform, it would foster shut collaboration with the ministries of well being, agriculture, atmosphere, safety, water sources and sanitation and different authorities ministries, departments, and businesses. Growth companions and civil society organizations may even be integral companions in guaranteeing that our efforts are aligned and efficient. With this new company in place, we’re higher geared up greater than ever earlier than to deal with the general public well being challenges we face as a nation.” he said optimistically.
The WHO has been supporting Sierra Leone to arrange for and reply to well being emergencies. Aside from the Ebola, Cholera, landslides, and different emergencies, WHO swiftly supported the nation through the November 2021 Wellington Gas Tanker explosion hearth incident wherein greater than 100 individuals died and tons of extra had extreme burns by airlifting greater than 6 metric tons of medical provides to the nation inside lower than 48 hours. This help was important to the survival of the victims. In November this yr, a joint WHO Africa CDC scooping mission to the nation additional explored methods to strengthen the well being emergency response within the nation. By collaborating within the EPR flagship applications, Sierra Leone with profit from coaching of SURGE personnel and a few automobiles and gear for speedy deployment of workers in instances of emergencies together with in different nations.
In Might this yr, Sierra Leone grew to become the primary nation in West Africa, second in Africa and 5th on this planet to pilot the Common Well being Preparedness Evaluate. With WHO technical and monetary help, the nationwide report has already been finalized and submitted to WHO. In consequence, Sierra Leone has been invited to take part within the Member State – to Member State Peer assessment of UHPR experiences and could have a possibility to current their very own report and be reviewed through the first quarter of 2024. All these efforts testify WHO’s dedication to buttress authorities’s dedication to make sure well being of its inhabitants and are in keeping with the triple billion of the 13 GPW and in keeping with the SDGs.
The launch of the NPHA signifies a essential development for Sierra Leone in organizing and coordinating public well being experience and techniques. With authorities and stakeholder help, the NPHA is poised to contribute considerably to minimizing the affect of well being emergencies on the nation and the worldwide neighborhood, fostering an accountable, environment friendly, proactive, and science-informed public well being agenda.
