SLeMSA Ends Two Days Workshop on Health

Over the weekend was a memorable evidence of speeches from authorities in support of students in the medical sector that were convened by members of the Sierra Leone Medical Students Association at the conference room of Bintumani Hotel, West of the Capital City of Freetown. (Photo: Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Foday Sawi making statement)

According to reports, the meeting was organized on Friday 25^th and Saturday 26^th of September, this year, as an effort to unite and educate medical practitioners on a theme, Human Resource for Health.

The Human Resource Manager who also represented the Directorate of Human Resources for Health in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Emile Koroma stated that his people appreciate the activities of SLeMSA’s National General Assembly this year, adding, it demonstrates the group’s commitment to encourage medical practitioners to be more effective in the country.

The Human Resource Manager disclosed that according to plans by the Human Resource people in the Ministry of Health, the health care plan is meant to provide documents with strategies according to the peoples’ requirement and that it was the members that took up the responsibility to review those documents and has identified a standard of service in this level.

He furthered that his group has in complement been working on building a resilient health system and by indication bring a resilient health work force and assured medical practitioners that trained and qualified health workers will be part of the system and in representation in various offices when the responsibilities of the group to bring to effectiveness the expected document is accomplished.

He revealed that there were many challenges in the medical sector in the country before the Ebola outbreak and that the virus, though a sad infliction on the country’s smooth running machinery, help in further identifying those fault, which, people in the medical sector should stage enormous efforts to address.

He said that the ministry has a designed one of its pillars, a National Strategic Plan that has to do with identifying long and short term activities for the good of the health sector in the country.

He thanks SLeMSA for building a centre of hope for students in the medical sector and encourages beneficiaries to make use of these opportunities.

During a brief statement, Deputy Minister 1, Health and Sanitation, Dr. Foday Sawi, who, according to sources, was in representation of the Minister of Health said that his Ministry is at all time devoted in ensuring that there is adequate medical personnel and all it takes for medical practitioners to practice their profession in protecting the people from hazardous health problems and curing them if affected.

The Hon. Minister thank the World Health Organization (WHO) for given their ultimate support to president Koroma and the people of Sierra Leone to contain the deadly Ebola Virus and recalled that the loss of professional medical personnel caused by Ebola was a great and sadness in the medical sector.

He also commended members of the Sierra Leone Medical Students Association for building the minds of young people to save lives in the country and encouraged the students to bring out the expected results required of the medical sector.

The Hon. Minister called on everyone to be very conscious and stay abiding by the protection rules of the Ebola virus as the nation awaits results by the National Ebola Response Committee (NERC), and that, he believes, will help WHO assure President Koroma and the people of Sierra Leone that Ebola over.

In her statement, president of the Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association, Dr. Eva Hanciles also recalled that the sad loss of medical personnel, women and children, those left as widows and orphans is a serious problem for the state and encouraged local and international Non Governmental Organizations to further look into these issues and help bring hope to the affected.

The learned woman calls on women in the medical sector to brave up and play lead roles making women more viable in the development of Sierra Leone. Adding, president Koroma’s era and his ‘Agenda for Prosperity’ call has brought major boost and awareness to women to consider themselves as leaders more than just house wives adding that such spirit from the Sierra Leonean president should be supported by every woman in the country.

Professor Baila Leigh was in representation of SLeMSA. He disclosed that recent reports from medical schools and their dissertations states that the Ebola virus was a major concern for everyone in the country especially those in learning institutions that are interested in the medical sector.

He revealed that a hundred and fifty (150) medical doctors are expected to officially operate in the country. Adding, those working as clinical Doctors have the opportunity to be qualified medical Doctors.

Professor Leigh thank high profile personalities that graced the occasion and further encouraged students the meeting a spring board of high spirit and make the country an excellent place that give birth to meaningful people.

By Rosetta Moijatu Njawa

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