The Directorate of Partner Coordination, under the Ministry of Health (MoH), on Monday 5th of February 2024 signed a service level agreement with health development partners.
The signing ceremony took place at the conference room of the Ministry of Health in the Youyi Building in Freetown. The signing ceremony was witnessed by a wide range of non-governmental organizations (health development partners) across the country.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Prince Cole disclosed that the service level agreement is aimed at the effective implementation of healthcare activities using donor funds.
Director of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MOPED), Eric Massallay told partners that, among other things, the service level agreement is geared towards ensuring that projects implemented by partners are aligned with government development plans.
He emphasized the need for coordination with development partners, noting that the government is now able to track what is happening in the NGO world. Massallay hoped that the signing of the SLA agreement would not be the end, rather he urged that partners have a sense of ownership of the agreement and sustain it.
In his keynote address, Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby remarked that “we are not looking at health as an end in itself, but as a platform for national development, for it is not only good for the people, but for their families, their communities and the country as a whole.”
The Minister spoke highly of President Bio’s developmental drives, noting that the leadership has focused on four key areas, such as education, health, food security, and infrastructure.
Among the above, he specifically mentioned that the Ministry’s gains in the healthcare services. He mentioned that the Ministry has taken healthcare closer to the people, but noted that the challenge has always bordered around the quality of healthcare.
Much as he acknowledged that the Ministry of Health is the custodian of health in the country, the Minister emphasized the need for synergy to avoid duplication. “It is important for us to work on one vision, one program, and one direction. He urged partners to make a public commitment to say that together they can transform the country’s health sector, and hold each other accountable.
On that note, the Ministry signed the agreement with the plethora of NGOs present.
In his remarks, Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MOPED), Reverend Jonathan Titus Williams opined that the agreement will improve on the joint coordination to ensure effective service delivery and judicious use of the limited available resources.
The Deputy Minister spoke highly of NGOs, noting that they are critical actors in actualizing the country’s Medium Term National Development Plan (MTNDP), for they (NGOs) ensure that projects are implemented through standards set, to avoid duplication.
The Deputy Minister urged partners for the effective implementation of the agreement. To achieve this, the Deputy Minister calls for the inclusion of community stakeholders. He further calls for the specification set to ensure standard service delivery, ensure equitable distribution of services, etc. “NGOs should up their game with additional resources to complement the government in achieving the country’s Medium Term National Development Plan (MTNDP),” he urged them.
