By Annans Sesay
Freetown, Jan, 20, 016 (MOHS) – Deputy Health and Sanitation Minister ll, Madam Madina Rahman has launched the Haikai Strategic Plan 2016-2020 for the Health and Education of the Girl Child at the Ramsey Hall, Liverpool Street in Freetown on Tuesday 19, January, 2016.
Deputy Health and Sanitation Minister II, Madam Madina Rahman launching the Strategic Plan
Launching the Strategic Plan, Madam Madina Rahman commended Haikal for supporting the Ministry of Health throughout the Ebola outbreak in the country.
She maintained that Haikal did not only support the country on health issues but also in making sure that the vulnerable people have food and other items that were required during the Ebola outbreak.
Madam Rahman noted that the right of woman, especially the girl child to education is key and paramount, adding that empowering the girl child should be given priority in their list because if they are properly educated all other things will follow.
She noted that teenage pregnancy during the Ebola scourge was very high in the country and since tackling girl child issues was a plus and urged Haikal to continue with their good work in helping the Ministry tackle stigmatization as there are more than 4,000 Ebola survivors in the country.
“If we do not work properly with survivors, Ebola is going to be worse than HIV/AIDs in
the Country”, she said.
Giving an overview of the strategic plan, the Executive Director of Haikal, Haja Hawa Turay Sesay said Haikal was established in 2001 in response to the 11-year brutal civil war that caused massive destruction, and extreme devastation to Sierra Leone’s economy, education and its struggling health systems.
She said the mission was established to enhance the livelihood of the vulnerable, the marginalized, and the hard to reach as well as eliminating barriers that keep communities poor, ensure that women were empowered particularly children to give hope to the hopeless.
The Executive Director furthered that in sixteen (16) years of proactive contribution to poverty reduction in education and girls/women’s health and empowerment, they have referred 250 Fistula patients who have been successfully operated and rehabilitated.
Haja Hawa Turay Sesay mentioned that Haikal has established two safe clinics in Bo City and Magburaka Town for treating fistula, and also runs a Nursery, Primary and Secondary School.
UNFPA Assistant Representative, Mr. Ibrahim Kamara described Haikal’s strategic plan as timely and commended the Executive Director for her hard work in pushing the organization to a higher height.
He said UNFPA has been working with Haikal since 2010 and from evidences gathered, Haikal has been doing a lot of good work and admonished them develop their capacity to deliver more by bringing others onboard to move forward.
Mr. Kamara commended Haikal for launching the strategic plan 2016-2020 and assured them of UNFPA’s support to the programme.
Other speakers include, the Executive Director, Sierra Rutile, Mr. John Sisay, and the Executive Director, Focus 1000, Mr. Mohamed Jalloh.
The programme was chaired by the Principal, National School of Midwifery, Fourah Bay Road, Dr. Joan Shepard. The presentation of the strategic plan by the Programme Manager, Francis Samous, formed high point of the launching.
