By Samuel J. Kargbo
On Monday 25 January 2021 the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Gender and Children Affairs engaged officials of the One Stop Center at the Kingharman Road Hospital in Freetown.
Chairperson of the Committee Hon. Zainab Catherin Tarawally stated that the rationale of holding the engagement is to critically look at the One Stop Center facility in order to know whether it is been used for the intended purpose that it was created for by the Government saying from what they will learn they will be in a better position to proffer recommendations.
Hon. Tarawally stated that they want to specifically know about cases that were dealt with from January to June 2020 and how many of those cases were sent to Court for prosecution.
Doctor Sattu Issa of the Kingharman Road Hospital thanked members of the Committee further highlighted some of the challenges they have been encountering also pointing out the hurdles in getting prosecution documents signed but assured how they have been working tirelessly to ensure that the Center is well functioning also suggesting that if there is a doctor that is ready to work in the One Stop Center he or she is welcomed disclosing how the Center caters for residents in the Western Urban and Rural Districts.
Ramatu Kargbo, the National Coordinator of SGBV in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation stated that the doctors need to be given comprehensive training on issues relating to SGBV so as to help prosecute perpetrators in order to ensure that children who are victimized are treated fairly.
She admitted that cases are not sent to her for prosecution adding that what was given to her by all the centers across the country are looked into before putting the legal components together.
On her part, Dr Sarah Conteh, said they have requested UNFPA to assist in the area of providing more training for medical doctors to which consent has been giving adding that they do face financial constraints, having insufficient drugs for the treatment of survivors and experience delay in investigations because Police Officers do not have adequate vehicles revealing that only one Police Officer is attached to the One Stop Center.
Alpha Mohamed Conteh, the Police Officer attached to the One Stop Center at the Kingharman Road Hospital, agreed that investigating SGBV cases is not easy suggesting that there is need to have a legal person so as to advise and send the matters to Court maintaining that because of delay from the DPP’s Offices that is why alleged perpetrators are granted bail.
Isatu Mansaray, a mid-wife at the Kingharman Road Hospital said they are challenged by medical constraints which they do report to the Ministry of Health lamenting that responses do not come in time.
A member of the Parliamentary Committee, Hon AKK, said it is very sad to hear what have been said so far. He noted that the structure is there but not much work is been done at the center recommending that the Committee should have a joint meeting to look into some of the issues raised.
The Manager of the One Stop Center at the Kingharman Road Hospital, Hannah A. Lahai, said they have over 80 Cases and one has tested HIV positive and two are pregnant.
She said they want a medical doctor to be assigned to the Center to be exclusively dealing with Sexual and Gender Based Violence cases, as well as cases fast tracked by the DPP’s Office.
The Parliamentary Oversight Committee conducted similar tours at the One Stop Centres in Port Loko.
Chernor J. Timbo the Manager of the One Stop Center stated how they started operation in July 2020 and they have undertaken several activities as well as dealt with various cases.
He disclosed that they have conducted various radio sensitization programs for residents to know the importance of the One Stop Center in the district, adding that all the PHUs within the district send all their victims only to Lungi and fail to send victims to the Center because of the distance.
He further explained that from July to December 2020 they recorded 60 cases saying residents in Kambia are not reporting cases to the Center because of the distance.
Mabinty James Kamara, a Mid-Wife appealed for a refresher training course for more mid-wives to help make their work easy.
Hawanatu Johnson, a Police Investigator, intimated the Committee Members that they are constrained with transportation and food for the victims disclosing how she sometimes have to go the extra mile by using her personal funds t to provide them food.
Chairman of the Port Loko Human Rights Committee, Mohammed Kamara, said some cases are reported late and there are some that are referred to the State Counsel for legal advice saying sometimes the cases die at that stage.
The next place where the Oversight Committee Members visited was the One Stop Centre in Kabala.
Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Zainab Catherin Tarawally, pointed out to the officials at the center that they are not there to Police them but to ensure that the right things are done for residents in that part of the country.
She said reported SGBV cases in Koinadugu are alarming especially as some family members do not treat those cases seriously.
Officials of the Center explained how they are faring on, the constraints they are facing and areas where they need support.
