Sierra Leone News: Medical boat – Marie Team Sierra commissioned in Bonthe

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Marie Stopes Sierra Leone has handed over a new speed boat to authorities in the Bonthe Sherbro Island at the local Council Hall. The boat was funded by DFID and is expected to strengthen outreach activities on Bonthe Island and other coastline communities. The rural mobile outreach programs are particularly designed to target poor, underserved, hard-to-reach women who have limited access to formal health facilities and high unmet need for family planning. Outreach programs enable clinical health care to be brought to communities who would otherwise have little or no access to quality family planning services. The boat launching ceremony attracted the Mayor of Bonthe, Layormie Joe Sandi, Willie Mustapha Parker, deputy chairman Bonthe District Council and the district medical officer, Prince E.K. Masuba who served as chairperson for the event.

In his opening remarks, Masuba briefly hinted on the natural divide of the district, which he said continues to pose serious challenges in healthcare delivery across the district. Masuba assured that amidst all the prevailing circumstances, the Bonthe District Health Management Team [DHMT] has recorded some progress particularly in the reduction of maternal and child mortality, establishment of more health facilities in difficult terrains timely distribution of Free Healthcare drugs and other medical commodities to all government and government assisted health centres in the district remain on course. Masuba thanked Marie Stopes for outstanding partnership with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, especially in area of family planning, appealing to all and sundry to treat family planning issues with the seriousness it deserves. The Country Director of Marie Stopes Sierra Leone, Dr. Ufuoma Festus Omo-Obi, said he was happy to visit the Sherbro Island to formally present a new medical boat to the people of Bonthe and environs. “I am pleased that both our national and international partners support us in our drive to eradicate the malaise of teenage pregnancy which is one of the main thresholds to unsafe abortion, which also contributes significantly to the high maternal mortality in Salone,” he said. Omo-Obi informed that Marie Stopes Sierra Leone (MSSL) is part of a Global Partnership of Marie Stopes International operating in 37 countries, providing personalised contraception and post-abortion care services to women and girls. The Marie Stopes Country Director said in support of government’s development priorities, “We are pleased to announce the reintroduction of a medical boat service to serve the people of Bonthe District and its adjoining coastline communities along the Atlantic.” The Mayor of Bonthe Municipal Council Layormie Joe Sandi thanked Marie Stopes for what he referred to as giant step taken by the organization to have resume operations on the Island after some period. Symbolic handing over of the keys to the boat and accessories by Dr. Ufuoma Festus Omo-Obi to Mayor Sandi climaxed the ceremony.

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