PRO Unit – MOHS
October 17, 2018
One of the trucks loaded with free health care drugs
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation has on Friday October 12, 2018,handed over five trucks of free healthcare commodities at a ceremony held at the Tonkolili District Council hall in Tonkolili district.
Handing over the drugs, Resident Minister North, Abu Abu Koroma, disclosed that they were handing over the free healthcare commodities to the people of Tonkolili district .
He noted that the drugs were aimed at improving the health status of residents through effective monitoring system with stakeholders.
He added that one of the five trucks was meant for the Magburaka Government Hospital, one for Masanga Hospital and the three trucks for the District Health Management Team (DHMT) meant to be distributed to the Peripheral Health Units (PHUs).
The Resident Minister called on the people of Tonkolili district not to allow people pilfer the drugs, noting that they were the beneficiaries of the supplies.
He informed his audience that the Ministry of Health was about recruiting 1,000 health workers between October and November of which 500 will be State Enrolled Community Health Nurses, 150 State Registered Nurses, 200 Community Health Officers and 150 Community Health Workers, disclosing that next year 2019, the ministry will recruit 2,000 health workers across the country.
UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Makeni, Abdulai Jalloh, stated that his organization and its partners have been collaborating with the government to support the roll-out of the Free Health Care Initiative nationwide, and that they have been working with the National Pharmaceutical Procurement Unit (NPPU) and the Central Medical Stores for the procurement, transportation and delivery of drugs from the suppliers to the districts.
Jalloh reiterated that the distribution exercise will enhance community ownership and strengthen accountability, thus admonishing stakeholders to be vigilant in protecting the free health care drugs and ensure that they reach the appropriate beneficiaries.
Chairperson of the Tonkolili District Council, Madam Yabom Taslim Sesay, described the ceremony as being great for the people of Tonkolili district.
The Chairperson stated that the distribution exercise was not business as usual as the council wanted to move forward in reducing maternal mortality in the district, and assured all that the council will monitor the drugs effectively to ensure accountability and probity.
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Clinical, Dr. Donald Bash-Tadi said since the introduction of the free health care initiative in 2010, drugs distribution to the districts were made in a quiet manner, adding that this time round the New Direction will improve on the distribution exercise so that the stakeholders will fully participate and monitor the process.
Paramount Chief Masakama Kanamanka II of Kolifa Rowalla and Paramount Chief Alimamy Koroma III of Dansogoia chiefdoms commended the government and Ministry of Health for the initiative and their inclusion, and pledged their support to monitor the drugs to ensure that it did not fall on the wrong hands.