In Kambia, the team visited the two project operational sites at Mafaray in the Gbinleh Dixon chiefdom, and mile 14 in the Tonko-Limba chiefdom.
Addressing the Mafaray community at the community Health Centre, Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation 1, Madam Madina Rahman noted the work done by Care in the area of Training of Community Health Workers, on water and sanitation hygiene practices, infection, prevention and control, support to farmers through a livelihood and Cash for Work program and other areas to promote Maternal and Child Health in the community including the construction of water wells.
Madam Rahman reiterated Government commitment to providing accessible and affordable quality health services to its citizens across the country to reduce Maternal, Newborn and Child Mortality and encouraged pregnant women to avoid Home delivery and access the health facilities in their chiefdoms.
She reiterated the need for Traditional Birth Attendants to refer all cases of Labor to the health facilities with a view to enabling the pregnant woman to deliver safely and where there is complication a referred case at Secondary or Tertiary level.
Madam Rahman lauded the community for working as a team with both Care and the District Health Management Teams and encouraged them to participate in the Voter Registration exercise expressing the importance of the Identification Card for both their civic rights as a citizen to vote, and its value even after the General Elections.
She reminded the two chiefdoms and the District Health Management Team that sustainability should be their watch word for an Exit Strategy noting that Care International may not live in Sierra Leone for ever.
Concerns raised by the two Chiefdoms Gbinleh Dixon and Tonkor Limba were noted by the Deputy Minister and promised to give them due consideration for positive action.
Paramount Chief Alimamy Kondogbala ll of Gbinleh-Dixon Chiefdom lauded the Government for promoting maternal and child health care in their chiefdoms, pointing out that since the institution of the Free Health Care Pregnant Women and lactating mothers have been accessing the health facilities thereby reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality in the chiefdoms.
He appealed for Solar Power supply and a Cold Room to preserve vaccines as well as assistance for the construction of Birth waiting Homes.
Care International he said, has helped by assisting famers with seedlings and Cash Work including the training of Community Health Workers among other key developments in the chiefdoms.
Other highlights include a courtesy call on the District Council Chairman Kambia, and a Debriefing at the District Health management Team conference hall in Kambia.
Earlier on arrival, the District Medical Officer Kambia, Dr. Foday Sesay made a presentation on the activities jointly implemented by Care in the district for the Period 2016 – February 2017.