NEWS New UNFPA Country Representative To Sierra Leone Lauds President Koroma Posted by on Jan 31, 2010, 11:03

In another engagement at State House today, the new UNFPA Country Representative to Sierra Leone, Mrs. Ratidzai Ndlovu from Zimbabwe, was also presented to President Koroma. In her remarks, Mrs. Ndlovu thanked the President for the audience and for launching the War Victims Fund, to which UNFPA has contributed $10,000. She said UNFPA is guided by the Agenda for Change with the main focus on reproductive health, maternal mortality and morbidity, HIV/AIDS and population issues, with support to many others including gender equality, gender-based violence, and health insurance.

She commended the President for introducing the free health service for children and their mothers and promised UNFPA support in the areas of infrastructure, procurement of drugs, personnel recruitment, electricity and water supply, especially in the provinces. She also promised to rehabilitate 26 health centres and to recruit midwives to go into the districts for which money is already available.

The UNFPA Representative took the opportunity to invite the President to the launching of the AU Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality (CARMMA) in March and requested for electricity to be provided to both the PCMH and Connaught hospitals on a 24-hour basis. Replying, President Koroma welcomed her as the new UNFPA Country Representative and wished her a successful tour of duty.  He thanked UNFPA for its great support to Sierra Leone over the years. “Your organization is addressing core issues and they are very much in line with my Agenda for Change and I will work closely with you,” he maintained.

According to the President, the health sector, especially reproductive health, is of great concern to government, thus the introduction of the free health services to children and their mothers by 27^th April this year. He described the venture as a great challenge, as it requires government to put in place the necessary infrastructure that will be adequate for the purpose: “For you to come in and provide drugs, re-do 26 of our health centres, and even recruit personnel, is a great venture.” President called on her to work closely with the Health Ministry, noting that there are still funding gaps for the programme, but will not be deterred. He promised that government will ultimately provide the required electricity for the requested hospitals and solar energy for the provinces, making mention of the Indian government’s support in that direction. He accepted the invitation to launch CARMMA in March 2010.