Continuing promoting transparency and accountability in service delivery, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation has handed over five trucks of free health care commodities to the people of Koinadugu and Falaba districts on Tuesday February 5, 2019 at the Dr. Francis Moses Hall in Koinadugu district.
The Chairman Koinadugu District Council, Alex Sorie Konteh, described the event as another day for the people of Koinadugu and Falaba districts, adding that this is the second distribution to the district and that long life always goes with perfect health.
He applauded the system of the distribution exercise for which stakeholders are invited in ensuring that they take ownership of the drugs until they reach the last chiefdom or village, and assured all that the council will monitor the drugs effectively to ensure accountability and probity.
Paramount Chief Gbawuru Mansaray III of Wara Wara Yagala Chiefdom described the event as the second drugs distribution for Koinadugu and Falaba districts of which the first was in 2018 and expressed thanks and appreciations to President Julius Maada Bio and his government for the support.
He stated that one of the priorities of President Bio is education, noting that for a country to achieve quality education its citizens must be healthy, and the sick would not acquire quality education.
To the people of Koinadugu and Falaba district, Paramount Chief Gbawuru III said the drugs are meant for them and they should all make sure that they make good use of them by effective monitoring. He urged the beneficiaries, including pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under-five, to make use of the opportunity by going to the facilities and at the same time use the drugs as required by the health workers.
The District Medical Officer, Koinadugu District, Dr. Kwame O’neill, recalled President Julius Maada Bio’s maiden speech in which he highlighted health as a priority and under the health priority he made mention of service delivery in terms of infrastructure for health, human resources for health and health care.
He disclosed that the second priority President Bio emphasized on is the free health care services for pregnant women, lactating mothers and under children.
The reminded all that without drugs no matter how the physician be, how qualified the doctors and nurses be, if people are sick and drugs are not prescribed for them, then they will not get well, adding that it is very important for drugs to be in each and every health facilities in Koinadugu district.
Dr. O’neill informed his audience that on receiving these consignment stakeholders, including Paramount Chiefs and other higher authorities, should ensure that the drugs reach the deserving people and do not go out of the district. To the beneficiaries, he urged them to always visit the health facilities when their children are sick and to give the children the necessary drugs prescribed.
The Chairman Council of Paramount Chiefs, Falaba District, Hon. Paramount Chief Alhaji Alimamy Lahai Mansaray V commended the government and Ministry of Health for the continuous initiative and their inclusion, and pledged their support to monitor the drugs to make sure they do not fall on the wrong hands.
The Chief Administrator, Koinadugu District Council, Augustine Amara, said they as Council in their locality they will ensure that the infrastructural development is enhanced and the human capacity is upgraded.
He said, referring to human capacity, health is number one and then education, adding that these two things go together because without education there will be no health.
The Acting Stores Manager, Central Medical Stores, Mr. Musa Seppeh, in handing over the trucks, said the commodities they are receiving are based on the request by the district. He told the gathering that out of the five trucks, one is for the Kabala Government Hospital and the remaining four trucks for the District Health Management Team (DHMT) for onward distribution to the Health Centres and Peripheral Health Units (PHUs).