By Nasratu Kargbo
Despite the progress made in the health sector, maternal and infant mortality in Sierra Leone remains one of the highest, according to the Chief Executive Officer of Focus 1000 Ahaji Bailor Jalloh. He stressed that more needed to be done to ensure a drastic reduction in the country.
Jalloh made this statement in an interview with Journalists on the 20th of October 2023 after the launch of the organization’s 2023 - 2027 strategic plan, and its rebranded Website.
“The good news about Infant mortality and maternal mortality is that there has been a massive progress within these ten years; there has been a drop. But even though there has been a significant drop, it is still one of the highest. We have a lot more to do, that’s why we intend to work with the government to focus on those one thousand days from pregnancy to two years” he said.
The CEO said there were times when the country was rated as a dangerous place to get pregnant and give birth.
Highlighting some ways through which he believes infant and maternal mortality can be drastically reduced, Jalloh explained it is important that the child is well-taken care of from pregnancy to age 2, the mother attends clinic and eats nutritious food, gives birth in a medical facility and not at home, and for the baby to be exclusively breastfed for six months, before being introduced to feeding, using local foodstuff. He advised that the baby be subjected to all the recommended vaccinations and for the mother and baby to sleep under a mosquito net.
He explained that their strategic plan focuses on maternal and child health, but also includes adolescent health. Speaking on why they’ve added adolescent health, the CEO explained that at that age, many are involved in risky behavior.
“Our strategic plan puts a lot of emphasis on the family, especially on men,” Jalloh said.
He said in most cases the men provide the resources whilst the women provide care, noting that most of the men do not go to the clinic with their pregnant wives, study their kids, or even go to their school meetings. He said they want to ensure that the men also participate in caring for the family in other ways.
He said their mission as an organization is to ensure that children in Sierra Leone have their right to life, education, health, and protection in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
One of the key highlights of their strategic plan is “unlocking the potential of young persons to protect themselves from diseases such as HIV/AIDS as well as safeguard their future aspirations and dreams through education, lifestyle skills information on family planning, among others.”
Representing Momentum Country Global Leadership Team (MCGL), Monica Green explained that they’ve been working with Focus 1000 since 2021 on maternal and newborn health in order to support the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in addressing Infant mortality and maternal mortality.
“They have never let us down, they are result-oriented and responsive,” Green said. She assured the organization that they would continue to work with them.
Speaker after speaker from different institutions praised Focus 1000 for the work undertaken in the country over the years, with an emphasis on health.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (20/10/23)
