A second-handed vehicle with registration number ACV 475 has been donated by the International Rescue Committee to the Kenema District Health Management Team (DHMT). It is t help with drug supervision and distribution in the district.
In her welcome address, IRC’s Health System Manager, Kiya Conteh thanked the stakeholders for responding to their call despite the short notice. Kiya said they would always remember the Committee for their contributions towards the health care delivery services in the district.
Presenting the vehicle to the District Medical Officer at the Under-Five clinic in Kenema, the IRC Field Coordinator, Tamba Gborie said his organisation had also donated motorbikes, vehicles and other items to the DHMT.
He said the Committee would no longer be responsible for fuelling the motorbikes and vehicles nor for their maintenance.
He said they were expecting a quantity of drugs to arrive, and when they come his organisation would provide fuel for the drugs to reach their destinations.
Mr. Gborie cautioned that the vehicles and motorbikes from IRC were not for commercial purpose. He called on all to make sure that the items were used for their intended purpose.
He said funding for IRC was scaling down but that they would expand their operations if more funds came forth. Receiving the vehicle, the District Medical Officer Dr. Yankuba Madina Bah thanked IRC for the gesture saying IRC had done a lot to the DHMT.
He said the District can now boast of 115 health centres and that there were plans to increase that number. He said the DHMT needed over 10 vehicles to effectively work in the district.
Dr. Bah expressed happiness for the vehicle which, he assured, would be used for its intended purpose. He urged the public to be a watch dog in making sure that it was properly used. He said they had informed the local council that they would soon take over responsibility for fuelling and maintaining the vehicles and bike when IRC pulls out.
The chairman of the health and sanitation committee, Kenema, Councillor Francis Musa Kallon described the occasion as historic. He said IRC had donated up to three ambulances to the DHMT, provided motor bikes, trained staff and equipped the laboratory.
The Matron at the government hospital Alice Stevens called on other organizations to emulate the good example of IRC.
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