By Elizabeth A Kaine
The Health Reporters Network Sierra Leone and Speak Up Africa first Malaria and Health award ceremony, which was supposed to have been held today, January 22
nd at the Golden Tulip Hotel, has been postponed to Friday 29
th January.
The award ceremony is part of effort to recognize journalists who have done so much in educating communities about malaria and demonstrated exemplary leadership that has brought about a positive impact through their work and initiatives and to also recognize people who have done so well within the health sector.
Speaking to this medium about the planned awards, Health Reporters Network President, Swaliho Vandi said the award is to recognize media practitioners who continue to raise awareness and drive action around important public health issues such as malaria, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), immunization, sanitation, and COVID-19.
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days) : 12 months
Job Posting: Dec 23, 2020, 7:16:20 AM
Organizational Setting
Malaria Team, WHO Myanmar has been supporting National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) of Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Sports (MoHS) in implementing malaria control/elimination programme through the WHO-MoHS collaborative workplan. Over the recent years Myanmar has made significant progress in reducing malaria morbidity and mortality. Since 2012, malaria cases have been reduced by 89%, and deaths by 97%. NMCP is one of the Sub-Recipients of Global Fund Regional Artemisinin 3 Elimination grant. Through this grant WHO provides technical and managerial support to NMCP through its international and national staff. WHO hired National Staffs under SSA mechanism to support State/Regional VBDC staffs in all States/Regions. The country is focusing in the hotspot townships to reduce the burden while continues to progress towards elimination. The Township P
Budgetary failures at MMDAs affront to fight against malaria
The failure of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to prioritise malaria control programmes in the district s financial plans and budgets is an affront to measures to fight the disease.
Again the absence of guidelines and weak compliance for the utilisation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for malaria, slighted the values intended to be achieved in the fight against the disease.
These came to light during a sensitisation workshop at Adaklu to seek information towards addressing how the 0.5 percent was being used to fight malaria at the local level.
DACF Secretariat to deduct 0.5 malaria fund at source 18th Dec 2020 | Source: GNA
The People for Health project, has called on the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) Secretariat to deduct the 0.5 percent of the malaria fund at source to ensure its efficient use.
It said the current system, where the funds were transferred as part of the assemblies’ resources did not encourage the assemblies to comply with the directives of setting aside the 0.5 per cent for malaria programmes.
It urged the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to open separate bank accounts for the fund while the National Malaria Control Programme provided guidelines for the utilization of the fund.
Sierra Leone Telegraph: 18 December 2020:
For many Sierra Leoneans who had feared a change of government in 2018 may simply usher in more of the same corruption and poor governance, today’s publishing of the country’s Auditor General’s 2019 Report into the SLPP government’s management of public funds, confirms those fears.
The report, like all previous reports, makes for disheartening reading. There is corruption and malfeasance across the corridors of almost every government ministry and department, including the Office of the President and Office of the First Lady, where millions of dollars cannot be accounted for.
Will the Anti-Corruption Commission have the courage and determination to conduct an impartial and transparent investigation?