In his keynote address and official opening of the meeting, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer II, Dr. Amara Jambai described the meeting as important and key to the development of the health sector when it comes to the health care implementation.
He said the meeting was relevant as it would help the Health Ministry to have a very reliable document that would work to strengthen the health sector.
Dr. Jambai reiterated that many policy and strategic documents at programme level have been developed and they are at the forefront see the vision where they would come together in a friendly manner and take the document as one National Strategic Plan for the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
The Technical Officer, Health Systems Strengthening, WHO, Sowmya Kadandale commended the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for the robust step in developing the National Health Sector Strategic Plan.
She disclosed that her organization was very much impressed with the development made by the Health Ministry since the end of the Ebola virus disease, and reaffirmed WHO’s support to the Ministry of Health improve the health system in country.
The Director of Policy Planning and Information, Dr. Samuel Kargbo said the objective of the meeting was to develop a new National Health Sector Strategic Plan for the Health Ministry.
He said the document presented was not a final document but rather a draft that is expected to be looked critically and made meaningful contributions to have a very strong document for the health sector.
He said the Health Sector Strategic Plan is a medium-term plan 2017-2021 that is credible and complementary to existing strategies.
Dr. Kargbo told the gathering that the guiding principles is a process that will take a pragmatic bottom-up approach using existing sub-sector plans and processes to develop the strategy and policy.
The District Medical Officer, Western Area, Dr. Thomas Samba said after the Ebola outbreak has been controlled, Sierra Leone more than ever now needs to come up with a strong strategic plan that is robust, responsive and resilience to the needs of the country.
He informed the gathering that the meeting would be an exhibition of one of the important functions of the policy and strategic level, hence the availability of a strategic plan for any country gives the road map and frame work within which health care should be deliver to the people of that country.
Highlight of the meeting include statement by the National Director, Health Network Sierra Leone, Mr. Robert Kondema Kargbo.