The global fund programme has provided 14 vehicles to strengthen the health system in Sierra Leone particularly HIV/AIDS at this very opportune time when the fight against the pandemic is scoring successes as it slowly moves towards zero new infections.

The terms zero new infections; zero stigma and zero new HIV – related deaths; was coined at this year’s world AIDS Day observance to speed up the stabilization of the disease even as we prepare to reverse it.This is why the arrival of these vehicular gifts is very significant in the years ahead. The National AIDS commission and its partners have worked very hard over the years to maintain low HIV seroprevalence in Sierra Leone through a multi sectoral approach that has succeeded in stabilizing the pandemic.

The HIV fight in Sierra Leone is a multi sectoral approach bring together stakeholder institutions such as UN AIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, Care International among others.

To complement the success of stakeholders, the government of Sierra Leone wrote a proposal requesting the global fund to provide support to the national aids secretariat through the government of Sierra Leone

Seven of the fourteen vehicles have been delivered to the various stakeholders in a very impressive ceremony at the Central Medical Stores, Brookfields.

Handing over the vehicles to the minister of health and sanitation, the director if NAC Dr. Brima Kargbo ; expressed gratitude to the global fund for fulfilling this pressing need in the form of vehicles.

Dr. Kargbo admonished the recipients of these vehicles to use them only for their intended purpose so that future requests for logistics to the global fund can be favorably considered.

He explained that global fund had made a grant of 86 million dollar to fight HIV/AIDS pandemic in Sierra Leone and called on all stakeholders to be committed and to achieve desired results while he looked forward to more grants form the world body to invigorate the against the pandemic in Sierra Leone.

Receiving the keys for the seven vehicles, the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Zainab Hawa Bangura, thanked the global fund through NACV and also the government of Sierra Leone for raising the successful proposal that brought the vehicles to Sierra Leone.

Permanent Secretary to the MoHS and the Hon. Minister

The minister noted that other forms of transportation such as motor bikes had earlier been supplied to various health units and that these vehicles would complement the motor bikes in the health service delivery.

All these equipments she said are needed to serve the growing number of patients in our hospitals and that number has increased to over 500 times. Addressing the recipients of the vehicles, Health Minister Zainab Hawa Bangura, appealed for transparency and discipline in the use of the vehicles.

She maintained that the vehicles are meant to be used by the recipient institutions and not personal properties to the heads of the institutions. Furthermore, she instructed the transport officers not to had over the vehicles directly to the recipients in Freetown but to drive them to their various locations and hand them over for the use of the institutions and not for individuals. She also discouraged the stationing of those vehicles in Freetown instead of in their respective locations and promised to monitor the vehicles on a 24 hour vases to make sure that they are not used to take the manager wives to the market or children to school.

She intimated her audience that the vehicles are much needed in their locations as they had the capacity to meet all the challenges of the terrains such as bad roads and bad weather.

She advised that no vehicle must digress to unintended destinations nor park them on the high ways longer than necessary.

She recommended the use of log books to help trace the where about of every vehicle. The seven vehicles were handed over to the following institutions. Ola during children’s hospital, the x-ray department, HIV Reference Laboratory, Government Hospital in Kailahun, safe blood services MOHS, Government Hospital in Kono and Government Hospital Kabala.

The last batch of seven more vehicles have already landed at the quay and waiting clearance. This too will be handed over to owner institutions as soon as they are cleared from the port.

Local Fund Agent of the Global Fund Mr. David Quaye

Present at yesterday’s handing over ceremony were Dr. Brima Kargbo, Director of NAS, Dr. Momodu Sesay, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr. Kossia of X-ray department, Mr. Jack Lansana of MOHS and Mr. David Quaye, Global Fund partners in Sierra Leone among others.

The chairman of the occasion was the public relations officers, MOHS. Mr Abass Kamara who had earlier welcomed officials to the handing ceremony.