Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Sierra Leone’s Special Envoy for Trade and Investment, Ambassador Abu Coomber, recently engaged with the Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, to discuss ways to strengthen diaspora involvement in the country’s health sector.
The recently held meeting aimed to foster sustainable partnerships and enhance the delivery of health services in Sierra Leone.
During the courtesy visit, Minister Demby acknowledged the crucial contributions made by the Sierra Leonean diaspora, particularly highlighting a recent medical donation facilitated by Ambassador Coomber and the U.S.-based nonprofit, WAAIC INC.
He commented, “The shipment, coordinated through the Office of the First Lady, had improved service delivery and demonstrated what structured diaspora support could achieve.”
Dr. Demby underscored the need for impactful, measurable interventions that could strengthen the health system and ensure tangible health service delivery. He emphasized the importance of training opportunities for health workers, the establishment of public-private partnerships to expand diagnostic services, and the development of sustainable health models beyond physical infrastructure. He specifically referenced the ongoing hospital projects in Kerry Town and Moyamba as critical efforts in this regard.
In response, Ambassador Coomber praised Dr. Demby’s leadership, noting improvements in the handling of the recent shipment. He expressed his concerns over previous issues with donations getting stuck at the port or being mismanaged, but commended the transparency observed during the latest shipment process.
Coomber reiterated his commitment to mobilizing diaspora nurses for voluntary short-term training and organizing health symposia, while also aiming to increase awareness regarding underutilized health facilities. He vowed to maintain transparency in all future engagements to build trust and enhance coordination.
The Minister and his team, including Permanent Secretary, Mr. Andrew Sorie, proposed developing a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to guide structured diaspora engagement efforts. They highlighted the necessity for comprehensive documentation, improved coordination, and the establishment of an embassy-based fund to manage logistics and shipping costs more effectively, citing successful models from Kenya and Rwanda as examples worth emulating.
Both parties agreed to collaborate on creating a comprehensive MoU, identifying priority medical needs, and exploring sustainable funding mechanisms at the embassy level to support future donations. Special recognition was given to WAAIC INC., Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Franciscan Children’s Hospital, and the Brookline community in Massachusetts for their ongoing support.
The Office of the Special Envoy reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening both local and international partnerships to transform Sierra Leone’s health sector during the presidency of His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
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