African leaders told to tow Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Koroma’s line of progressive reform.
President Ernest Bia Koroma.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has lauded a new initiative by Sierra Leone’s President, Ernest Bal Koroma aimed at introducing a new health reforms in Sierra Leone.
The new reform will include free health services to pregnant women, nursing mothers and children all over the country.
The first initiative of the new health reform was launched in September last year in London where former Prime Minister Tony Blair was a special guest of honour and one of the chief launchers.
It is a new effort at bringing long term succour to the nation’s citizen after a bold recovery from a long war which had completely depleted all social conditions and initiatives in the aftermath of the war and retarding social health development in the country.
Already, President Koroma has been singled out for a Life time Achievement Award in recognition of his ceaseless efforts at elevating the standard of life of all citizens of sierra Leone.
It was the largest concentration of many world stake holders last year when in mid-November a radical £20 health scheme was launched after the President appealed to the international community to help fund a major health programme for children and pregnant women in Sierra Leone.
A key note address by President Koroma had hoped the scheme would boost up public health which had been at a low ebb after wriggling out of a major state of emergency.
Map of Sierra Leone.
In his commending message to President Koroma last week, Prime Minister Brown in signed letter from 10 Downing street said:”I wanted to write to you now as Sierra Leone prepares for the historic launch of Free Health Care for mothers and children on 27 April, Independence Day.
Your decision to announce a commitment to this policy at the UN General Assembly in September sent a clear message of leadership across Africa and globally.
Naming the launch date in September showed how committed you are to making this a reality – and I believe this initiative will prove to be a lasting legacy of your Presidency for future generations and help galvanise positive change across the continent.
“Most importantly it will improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in your country”, the letter further said.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
It continue:”I know you will be facing many challenges as you prepare for the launch of the initiative, I want you to know that the UK is fully committed to supporting this policy and will continue to work with you to ensure it is a success for 1.25 million mothers and children”
“I know that DFID have been working very closely on a daily basis with the Ministry of Health in Freetown and has funded the procurement of 12 months supply of essential drugs”.
“The remaining challenge is how to support the necessary increase in health workers salaries as they will be fundamental to the success of this initiative and DFID are in discussions with officials in the Ministry of Finance in the hope that we can provide financial aid to support your efforts to pay health workers a fair wage”.
“I have been watching events unfold since we met in September in New York. I applaud the significant progress made since then. We remain ready to support you in realizing this shared vision. I know that the launch on Independence Day will go down in history as a momentous day for your country”, the message added, closing with the signature of the Prime Minister..
Among those who had lauded the efforts of the President in the past was Beverly Collins,a health policy adviser at the International Medical Aid Organisation Medecins San Frontieres (MSF) who hailed the President’s ‘extreme important development’.
“It id hugely encouraging and quite brave that the President has taken this step because the country is just pulling herself out of quite horrific circumstances”
egnant women, nursing mothers and children all over the country.
The first initiative of the new health reform was launched in November last year in London where former Prime Minister Tony Blair was a special guest of honour and one of the chief launchers.
It is a new effort at bringing long term succour to the nation’s citizens after a bold recovery from a long war which had completely depleted all social amenities and initiatives in the aftermath of a 10-year old war while retarding social health development at all cadres of the country.
Already, President Koroma has been singled out for a Life time Achievement Award in recognition of his ceaseless efforts at elevating the standard of life of all citizens of sierra Leone.
Africa Children and Youth Center, (ACYC), a United Kingdom based charity Organisation has announced a life time Achievement Award to to given next month at a special occasion in London.
The pace for the health reform was set last November as avenue in London witnessed the largest concentration of many world stake holders as a radical £20 health scheme was launched after the President appealed to the international community to help fund a major health programme for children and pregnant women in Sierra Leone.
A key note address by President Koroma had hoped the scheme would boost up public health which had been at a very low ebb after the nation had wriggled out of a major state of emergency result of the effect of the civil war.
In his commending message to President Koroma last week, Prime Minister Brown in a signed letter from 10 Downing street said:”I wanted to write to you now as Sierra Leone prepares for the historic launch of Free Health Care for mothers and children on 27 April, Independence Day.
Your decision to announce a commitment to this policy at the UN General Assembly in September sent a clear message of leadership across Africa and globally.
Naming the launch date in September showed how committed you are to making this a reality – and I believe this initiative will prove to be a lasting legacy of your Presidency for future generations and help galvanise positive change across the continent.
“Most importantly it will improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in your country”, the letter further said.
It continue:”I know you will be facing many challenges as you prepare for the launch of the initiative, I want you to know that the UK is fully committed to supporting this policy and will continue to work with you to ensure it is a success for 1.25 million mothers and children”
“I know that DFID have been working very closely on a daily basis with the Ministry of Health in Freetown and has funded the procurement of 12 months supply of essential drugs”.
“The remaining challenge is how to support the necessary increase in health workers salaries as they will be fundamental to the success of this initiative and DFID are in discussions with officials in the Ministry of Finance in the hope that we can provide financial aid to support your efforts to pay health workers a fair wage”.
“I have been watching events unfold since we met in September in New York. I applaud the significant progress made since then. We remain ready to support you in realizing this shared vision. I know that the launch on Independence Day will go down in history as a momentous day for your country”, the message added, closing with the signature of the Prime Minister..
Among those who had lauded the efforts of the President in the past was Beverly Collins,a health policy adviser at the International Medical Aid Organisation Medecins San Frontieres (MSF) who hailed the President’s ‘extreme important development’.
“It is hugely encouraging and quite brave that the President has taken this step because the country is just pulling herself out of quite horrific circumstances”
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