Salone’s Fight Against Aids Lauded
A team of Global Fund West Africa Chapter led by the Portfolio Manager Nathalie Brechet last week extolled the efforts of the National AIDs Secretariat – NAS and its Director Dr. Brima Kargbo for what was referred to as exhibiting a very good leadership role in the fight against the HIV pandemic.
This laudation was done during a high profile visit of the team at the HIV/AIDS control program facility hosted at the Connaught hospital in Freetown. Dr. Kargbo who took the commendation of his and the effort of stake holders in the country in combating the disease took the visiting team on a conducted tour of the HIV/AIDS facilities of the hospital; in the presence of accompanied by programme Manager of the Secretariat Dr. Momoudu Sesay, Connaught Hospital physician Specialist, Dr. Modupeh Cole and other staff of the AIDS secretariat and Ministry of Health.
Explaining to the honored guests, Programme Manager Dr. Momoudu Sesay stated that the Connaught Hospital is the primary referral hubs for HIV/AIDS patients in the country where he said and that over fifteen HIV/AIDS case are reported to the hospital per day. According to him, the main cases consist of CD4 counts adding that the Unit also under takes prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission, Testing and Voluntary Counseling and Treatment VCCT as part of its mandate.
NAS Director, Dr. Brima Kargbo thanked the Global fund team for what he referred to as the tremendous support Global Fund is providing to the National Response to HIV and AIDS in Sierra Leone. He said the Local Funding Agent, (LFA), Price Water Cooper is also providing a strong technical backup and guidance by way of monitoring and advising NAS as principal recipients of the Global Fund; he noted. Dr. Kargbo revealed that since Sierra Leone received the fund for round 4, NAS has been performing very well; reiterating that the performance is equally good with round 6 which has just completed its first phase and gone through the appraisal to start the second round.
The NAS Director commended the sub-recipients, who he stated are mainly NGOS that are the implementing the activities in their various communities, and revealed that NAS has also succeeded in getting another Global fund Grant for round 9 to last for another 5 years that is expected to commence soon. He said the National Response is faced with some challenges such as the prevention of Mother-to-child Transmission (PMTCT) which is just 51% and needs to reach 81% for measures have been put in place for improvement.
The portfolio Manager, Nathalie Brechet, on behalf of the team, expressed delight and satisfaction for the achievements made by NAS and commended the Director and team for their dedication and professionalism in performing their duty. The Manager encouraged NAS not to dwell on its success but to continue to work relentlessly with the Global Fund disclosing that round 9 of the program would commence in June this year. Chairman, country coordinating Mechanism, Dominic Lamin, urged NAS to continue the good work.
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