BY ADAMA CONTEH
232NEWS, FREETOWN
Christian Health Association Sierra Leone (CHASL) has engaged faith leaders and health workers from the ministry of Health and Sanitation on pandemic preparedness and response.
The two-day engagement which took place on Wednesday for Faith Leaders and on Thursday for MOHs last week at…
The objectives for Faith Leaders were:
- To understand pandemic and its resultant effects
- Leverage on lesson leant and experiences in pandemic preparation and response
- To develop action plans on pandemic surveillance and response at community level
While the objectives for MOHs were:
- Understand the current national pandemic emergency preparedness plan
- Discuss the role of DHMT on emergency preparedness
- Scope partnership opportunities for collaboration with other health implementing partners
Giving a brief presentation of the COVEAB Project Overview, CHASL Program Manager, Madam Martha Kanu said Christian Health Association Sierra Leone (CHASL) is the
- Coordinating body for all Christian owned health institution in Sierra Leone.
- Network of 43 health facilities (14 Hospitals and 29 clinics).
- Provides 30% of health services in the country across all life stages
- Second largest health provider after Government
- Spread- All regions: 14 out of 16 districts
- Total Catchment: over 963K
- Total bed capacity: 999+
- Technical Health workforce (MD, Midwives, Nurses, CHOs etc.):588
- ANC service provision: 87%
- Maternity Service provision: 76%
- Specialized Care-Palliative, ophthalmic, orthopedics reconstructive, rehabilitative
She disclosed that they are working through promoting COVID-19 Vaccine Equity through Faith-Based Networks in Africa project which started on the 1st May 2022 to the 30th March 2024.
She said the goal of the project is to reduce the loss of lives and spread of Covid 19 in Sub – Saharan Africa contributing to global health security through the targeted capacity strengthening of CHA networks.
She pointed out that their objectives are:
1: CHASL works through their member HF to deliver /promote Covid 19 vaccines
2: Faith-based health workers and religious leaders are engaged in the promotion of trusted and evidence-based communication around covid 19 vaccines
3: CHASL is resourced and recognized as a critical partner with the MOHS with the support of ACHAP.
Madam Kanu also spoke about CHASL expanded role they are playing in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccine rollout plans, local faith leaders and other community leaders in targeted CHASL health facility catchment areas are promoting vaccine uptake and science-based messaging on COVID-19 and M&E.
She disclosed further that from July 2022 – June 2023 a total COV-FAB vaccinations administered by the project were 44,383 in Western Area Urban and 42,219 in Western Area Rural on the 1st Dose, 33,669 in Western Area Rural and 35,778 in Western Area Urban on the 2nd Dose while 13,682 in Western Area Rural and 16,558 in Western Area Urban were administered as booster.
“Common Steps to Emergency Preparedness Plan: Know your risks, build a team /prepare your community, make critical information quickly accessible, update your alert and response procedures, develop a plan for your community group and test the plan,” she stated.
CHASL Project Officer, Paul Kallon, said the religious books talked about disasters and what are the measures to address them.
“You don’t need to divert as a religious leaders and also not to discriminate more so when you want to pass on message,” he said.
He outlines some of the communicable diseases such as typhoid, colds, flu, viruses, bacteria and fungi, stated that they don’t know what will be the next disease but they have to be on the preparedness.
“The first thing you should do as religious leaders, you should have the beliefs. Give direct quotations from the holy books. Search the scriptures and see how you can relate it,” he advised.
He pointed out that endemic disease should be talked about and continuous awareness is needed for people to adapt to it.
.
CHASL Executive Director Mrs Florence Bull encouraged participants to take precautions as they pass on health related messages to others and they should also take bold step and for them to be a role model through that people can listen to their messages.
Participants shared their Experiences from the field on response and preparedness during the Covid 19 pandemic while the Secretary General of the Health Reporters Network SL (HRNSL) outline some of the benefits they can enjoy when they approach the Network to disseminates their health messages.
Discussion around emergency preparedness and developing action plans and presentation in plenary formed part of the two-day engagement.
