By Mabinty M. Kamara
President Julius Maada Bio has on Wednesday 8th September 2021 launched the 157 million dollar grant approved by the Global Fund for Sierra Leone to strengthen its health system and as well as accelerate the fight against Malaria, Tuberculosis, HIV and Covid-19 in the country.
In addition, the Global Fund in collaboration with expertise France also approved Covid-19 funding of Thirty-One Million United States dollars to respond to and mitigate the effects of Covid -19, on the progress made in the fight against the three diseases in Sierra Leone for the period retroactive 1st July 2021 to 31st December 2023.
According to officials, the Government of Sierra Leone also committed an additional funding of Nine Million, four hundred and sixty-five thousand, three hundred and seventy-seven United States Dollars ($9,465,377) as counterpart funding to fight HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria and Health system strengthening for the period spanning the financial year 2021-2024.
In his statement at the launch of the grant at State House in Freetown, President Bio noted that the Global Fund has been a critical partner in Sierra Leone’s health sector, and of having contributed a very significant share of healthcare financing.
“Their support constitutes about 90% of the HIV programme budget, and over 70% of the TB and malaria programmes. For us, the Global Fund has been the largest investor in grants to build resilient and sustainable health systems in our country,” he said.
He added: “Your investments in tools, systems, health workers, and laboratory resources are underpinning our COVID-19 responses and our responses to other disease burdens in our country. Be assured that Sierra Leone will continue to be a strong ally in all your high-level advocacy campaigns for strengthening health systems.”
He acknowledged that the country’s socio-economic indicators will be depressing, and national development limited, without a healthy population and a well-resourced and functioning national healthcare delivery system.
However, he noted the progress made so far in health governance; expanding and improving healthcare, disease prevention, control and surveillance; and, healthcare service delivery. However, he said there was need to do more
“We also have made progresses on the goals we set out for health financing. We have increased budgetary allocations to health and sanitation, and made progress on implementing the National Health Insurance scheme,” he said.
In relation to the reimbursement of funds declared as ineligible during the tenure of the past government by the Global Fund, he assured the partner organization that the negotiated commitment plan to pay an initial 40% in 2021 has been authorised, and will be strictly adhered to and pledged to pay the full amount shortly. He assured of a transparent and accountable relationship in the execution of the funds.
In his statement at the launch of the grant, the Chairman of the Country Coordinating Mechanism of Global Fund Sierra Leone, Mohamed B. Jalloh said maternal and child mortality rate of the country cannot be reduced if the scourge of the three diseases of TB, HIV and Malaria are not dealt with, noting that malaria account for 40% of deaths of outpatients mortality.
He therefore called for a revisit of the strategies and to intensify monitoring and supervision to create the desired impact. Jalloh also calle for community inclusion in the fight against the diseases, if they were to achieve the desired goals against the diseases as the confidence of both the affected population and the donor partners were equally important.
“We need to improve our internal processes to ensure speedy and efficient service delivery to our beneficiary populations. We need to be more transparent and accountable in the management of the funds to sustain the trust and confidence of the donors, the partners and above all the people of Sierra Leone. But most importantly, we need to increase the engagement of communities and affected populations,” he said.
While commending the government for the counterpart fund provided for the implementation of their programmes, he also urged them to expedite the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the global fund so that it can enjoy certain privileges such as tax exemption which will allow them to use the fund for its intended beneficiaries.
In his statement, the Executive Director of Global Fund, Peter Sands in Geneva through a telecast said the country has so far received 347 million dollars from the global fund since 2004 to fight HIV, TB and Malaria.
He noted that the funds have been used to make significant progress to strengthen its healthcare system and fight against the three diseases.
Recounting the progresses made so far, Sands said in 2019 the country distributed about 4.4 million-bed nets as part of the national mass campaign against Malaria and at the end of 2020, 3.3 million Sierra Leoneans were tested for malaria, with 93% of the confirmed malaria cases receiving anti-malaria treatment. He added that at the end of 2020, 50% of people leaving with HIV were on lifesaving anti-retroviral therapy accounting for 38,000 people living with HIV to be able to live healthy and productive lives. Also, he said at the end of 2020, the country reported close to 16, 0000 TB cases and were placed on treatment.
“Your excellency, I am glad to be with you today even if virtually to attest to the progress made and to launch the new global fund grant with a value of over 125 million dollars which will enable Sierra Leone to continue to accelerate efforts to eliminate HIV, TB and Malaria. This Global fund investment fully align with the national health strategy will allow Sierra Leone to achieve even more ambitious targets,” he said.
He added: “The distribution of close to 4.9 million bed nets is part of the 2023 national campaign against malaria and increase in the number of Sierra Leoneans testing for malaria from 3.3 million in 2020, to more than 6,000,000 (six Million) and the portion of those who received malaria treatment to increase from the current 93% to 100%. An increase in the percentage of the number of people living with HIV on life-saving anti-retroviral therapy from 50% to 75%; meaning 62,000 Sierra Leoneans living with HIV will be able to live healthy and productive lives. And increase in the number of detected and treated tuberculosis cases to over 20,000 per year which is expected to be 90% of all TB cases nationwide.”
He noted that the figures were not just mere numbers but has a greater impact on the lives of the people of Sierra Leone. Sands applauded Sierra Leone’s response to the covid-19 pandemic.
Copyright © 2021 Politico (10/09/21)
