By Alpha Abu
Health and Sanitation Minister, Dr. Austin Demby has explained about the developments taking place in the health sector during a gathering of media practitioners and civil society activists in Bo recently.
The minister mentioned the recruitment of 4,000 more health workers by the present government and the establishing of a Nursing and Midwifery School in Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone.
He spoke about how government budgetary support to the health ministry has steadily increased from 6% in 2018 to 11% in 2020 and 11.6% in 2021. He said this shows the premium government attaches to the health needs of the people. He spoke of significant logistical and infrastructural improvements taking place in the country, citing the construction of more health facilities and the installing of Oxygen devices in hospitals in Bo, Kenema and Makeni.
Dr. Demby also spoke about what he termed a Mega Project in which a modern hospital facility is being built at Kerry Town along the coastal peninsular of the Western Area with a 150 bed capacity, that will also have 40 housing flats for doctors and 50 rooms for nurses.
He said the health ministry has also strengthened the distribution of drugs to hospitals and other health units across the country and ensured 84 Ambulances remain fully operational. He said the ambulances have had a 90% success rate in responding to patients’ needs.
The Ministry of Information and Communications hosted the event in Bo in which representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies outlined the achievements and plans of their institutions to the media and civil society.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (20/12/21)
