October 17, 2016 By Jariatu S. Bangura
Members of Parliament have on Thursday ratified two financing agreements worth forty-five million United States Dollars meant to address both regional health service delivery support system and regional disease surveillance system projects across the country.
The financing agreement between the government of Sierra Leone and the International Development Association worth US$30million, while the Health service delivery and system support project signed between the government and the International Development Fund worth US$15.500 million.
Presenting the agreements, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Momoh Vandi said when Ebola broke out in West Africa in 2014, there was no mechanism in place to surveillance disease and that it was very easy for the epidemic to spread within the Mano River Union countries of Guinean, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
He said it was against that backdrop they developed the project to strengthen national and regional cross- sectorial capacity for collaborative disease surveillance and epidemic preparedness in West Africa, thereby addressing system weaknesses within the animal and human health systems that hinder effective disease surveillance and response.
He stated that the project would target five areas including surveillance and information systems, strengthening of laboratory capacity, preparedness and emergency response, human resources management and institutional capacity building, and project management and coordination advocacy.
He added that the expected benefit and target beneficiaries of the projects would be all round inclusive, both regional and national in scope.
Minister Vandi explained that the $20million would be in the form of credit, $10 in the form of grant, the $10million funds for the health service delivery system would be a credit, while the $5.500million would be in the form of grant.
He disclosed that Principal payments would be made in thirty-two years with a grace period of six years each.
He continued that the health system service delivery project was designed to improve and support health care delivery system, especially maternal and child health, with the view of increasing the utilization and improving the quality of essential maternal and child services, as well as providing effective response to any crisis or emergency.
He concluded that the project would carry out program of activities that would improve public health and education, finalize the national environmental health policy and strategy, strengthen and improve community engagement and access to basic health care and information, and strengthen facility level service delivery such as providing essential drugs, medical supplies and equipment to select health facilities.
Hon. Ibrahim Ben Kargbo from the ruling All Peoples Congress said apart from the loan the received to boost the health sector, government had long introduced the Free Health Care scheme to support the health system in the country.
He said the Ministry of Health should make sure that mechanisms put together should be taken to the grassroots.
He stated that some of the health centres were in short supply of drugs and expressed hope that there would be efficient and sufficient drugs to serve the populace.
Hon. Komba Koedoyoma of the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party, expressed worries over the implementation of the two projects by the ministry concerned, stating that they should put proper mechanisms in place for all to benefit.