As part of their drive to build up the capacity of the health sector in the country Concern worldwide, an Irish non governmental and humanitarian organization, over the weekend handed over two motor bikes to the District Health Management Team (DHMT), in the Western Area.
Handing over the motor bikes at their Wilkinson Road head office in Freetown the Assistant Country Director in charge of systems, James Kierman, said “Concern Worldwide is an organization devoted to the relief, assistance and advancement of people in need in less developed countries in the world”.
He added that his organization had been working in Sierra Leone for over a decade and focused exclusively on emergency relief activities during the war mainly in Freetown.
Receiving the motor bikes the District Medical Officer, Dr Amara Jambai, said Concern and the DHMT had been key partners for a long time, adding that the motor bikes came at the right time when they needed transportation most.
He noted that he was happy for the gesture and assured Concern that the motor bikes would be utilized the appropriate way.
Giving a brief background of Concern’s activities in Sierra Leone the National Health Coordinator, Sathya Rajah, said “Concern Worldwide has been operational in Sierra Leone since 1996 and is committed to reducing poverty and suffering”.
He added that Concern was currently operational in the northern Tonkolili District and in the Western Area.
Mr Rajah noted that their programmes included livelihoods, health, water and sanitation and education, adding that Concern was committed to working with national and local government and the central government to achieve their goal, as set out in the Poverty Reduction Strategy.
The national Health Coordinator maintained that, “Concern’s health programmes are operational in Western Area’s six slums of Mabella, Kroobay, Susan’s bay, Portee, Rokupa wharf, Grey bush and Kuntorlow. We aim to achieve health nutrition security for the areas by working with the staff of DHMT, Western Area, community representatives of the Freetown City Council (FCC) and the communities themselves”.
He pointed out that, “we support these communities in their efforts to address the health and sanitation concerns in the area and to bring a sustainable change to their lives”.
As part of this process, he stated, “we are donating these motorbikes to the DHMT as the first step towards this support”.
He hoped that this would assist the DHMT in effectively monitoring the vital child and maternal healthcare services to the slum communities]
By Abibatu Kamara
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