The newly appointed Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund in Sierra Leone, Mrs. Ratidzai Ndlovu has pledged her organizations’ unwavering support to help provide solution to the countries’ numerous health problems.
She announced UNFPA’s support to officials and personnel of the Ministry of Health last week during a farewell ceremony that was held for twenty five health personnel going to Ghana on a three months course in health management.
Mrs. Ratidzai Ndlovu said UNFPA has over the years supported the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to improve the quality of health delivery and to build the capacity of health personnel in the country.
She disclosed that there have been encouraging results in the implementation of the Strengthening District Health Project which is one of the many projects that UNFPA is supporting under the Ministry.
The UNFPA Rep. disclosed that concrete arrangements have been made to improve the human resource capacity of medical personnel by sponsoring them to embark on further studies. The following training programmes for health officers were listed;
Masters of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics in Njala University for 20 Health Personnel in September, 2009, 10 Sierra Leoneans, including health staff, will attend one year Laboratory Technical Certificate course in the University of Ghana, in September, 2009.
Also Health facility and equipment maintenance course in MMCET for 50 Artisans-commencing in September,2009,Basic Surgical Skills for 30 Doctors and CHOs to commence in October,2009, and 6 health staff will attend a three-weeks course in health systems Management in the University of Pretoria, South Africa in October,2009 .
She further stated that negotiations are on the way to conduct short in- country courses on Reproductive Health, Emergency Obstetrics Care, Safe Motherhood and Family Planning. She called on donors, civil society and non- governmental organizations to come together and work in a coordinated manner and adopt strategies that will tackle the root causes of the health problems and provide sustainable solutions to those problems.
“The challenges of the health sector are formidable and can only be confronted with boldness and innovative strategies that go beyond conventional thinking” the UNFPA Representative said.
By William Freeman
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