HFAC Concludes Orientation Meeting with DHMTs in Five Districts Freetown, Sierra Leone: September 26, 2024.
Health For All Coalition (HFAC) have successfully completed an orientation meeting with District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) in five districts over the weekend, including Koinadugu, Kailahun, Kono, Falaba, and Western Area Urban.
The purpose of the orientation was to engage DHMTs in these districts regarding the implementation of GAVI-funded projects focused on Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) multi-cohorts, product switch, and CDS3. The HPV project will be rolled out in eight districts, while the CDS3 project will be implemented in five districts.
The goals of these projects are to develop a data-driven understanding of the barriers to immunization services, with a special focus on hard-to-reach and underserved communities in Sierra Leone. This will be achieved through advocacy and community education, ultimately strengthening and increasing the demand for healthcare services across the country. These efforts will enhance the capacity of Primary Healthcare Units (PHUs) and Community Health Workers (CHWs) for improved service delivery.
During the implementation phase, the projects will concentrate on:
- Supporting rapid delivery scale-up to meet national targets for adult vaccination,
- Accelerating vaccination efforts for high and highest-risk populations,
- Conducting research to identify barriers to immunization uptake and improving data quality, and
- Supporting the integration of COVID-19 and routine immunization to achieve sustainable benefits.
At the conclusion of the meetings in all districts, DHMTs expressed their commitment to collaborate with HFAC and pledged their full support for the successful implementation of these GAVI-funded projects.
The meetings, held in the offices of the District Medical Officers, included participation from District Health Sisters, District Monitoring and Evaluation Officers, District Human Resource Officers, EPI focal persons, Logistics Officers, and the HFAC team, among others. Group photos and the exchange of contact information for ongoing communication about the projects and related matters marked the conclusion of the sessions.
