By Ibrahim Sorie Koroma
Minister of Health and Sanitation, Hon. Prof. Alpha Tejan Wurie, on Thursday 26th November, 2020, launched the Non-communicable Diseases Strategic Plan, NCDs National Policy and the Sierra Leone Non-communicable Diseases, Injuries and Poverty Commission (NCDI) Findings and Recommendations. The launch took place at the Hill Valley Hotel, West of Freetown.
Prof. Wurie, while making his keynote address, said that the launch of the 3 NCD documents is a step in the right direction, adding that for far too long the health system has been focusing on communicable diseases to salivate suffering, morbidity and deaths, while paying less attention to issues around Non-communicable diseases.
The Minister was optimistic that these three documents will help to attract some attention on the area of NCDs, especially on screening and providing the enabling environment in addressing NCD issues.
“We are here today to launch 3 documents all in an effort to address issues around NCDs and Injuries, but the enabling environment for screening and management of NCDs is not readily available in most of our health facilities”. This, the Minister noted, can be addressed by all stakeholders/partners.
The Hon. Minister said that NCDs could be associated to physical body issues, genetic, environment, urbanization, excessive alcohol intake and poverty, to name but a few
Prof. Wurie reiterated the need for robust health promotion and awareness raising on NCDs, thereby promoting the risks/dangers of NCDs to the public.
He continued that NCDs are preventable, and information and communication for changing behaviors are key in disease prevention. He also urged for attention to be given on Mental Health, as the country had experienced civil unrest, Ebola, Mudslide and now COVID-19, and with that we all can now relate to the devastating mental issues in the country.
He further called for huge investment on NCDs, which, he noted, may not come from Government alone, but NGOs, UN Agencies and public private partnership.
The Minister thanked partners like WHO, Partners in Health (PIH) and World Bank for their support on NCDs, as there are very few partners who venture in that area.
While presenting the Findings and Recommendations of the NCDI Commission Report, the Director at the Directorate of Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health, Dr. Santigie Sesay, said the key objectives of the Sierra Leone NCDI Commission was to serve as a Multi-sector Steering Committee for the MoHS, NCDS and Mental Health Directorate and to provide Strategic Planning and Policy guidance on NCDs issues and Injuries, adding that a sizable number of the country’s population is associated to either 1or 2 conditions of NCDs.
He thanked partners for their support and called for more support and collaboration, especially from the Public-Private Sector.
The World Health Organization Country Representative (WR), Dr. Shon, committed their continued support on NCDs, especially in strengthening the health system to actualize Universal Health Coverage. He advocated for more investment, where the health system cannot only provide services on communicable diseases, but also Non-communicable.
How wonderful of you our dear minister of health. Even though this step taken is nothing short of what I expect of you, I am greatly impressed and grateful. I am a public health activist and advocate living with HIV and Diabetes. Since 2009 I engaged WHO and have pushed for addressing issues of diabetes and it’s complications. It is really God sent that you you’ve initiated the process. Thank you sir, hope you will continue to push for our quality health and life. You will agree with me that improved health is the gateway to development. Thank you Sir.