BudgIT Sierra Leone and OSIWA Launch COVID-19 Report: Strengthening Partnerships for Health Equity and Accountability.
On Friday, February 2, 2024, BudgIT Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), launched a report on COVID-19 Health Accountability Report at YMCA Hall, 32 Fort Street- Central Business District, Freetown, with over 28 participants, including CSOs, the media, and the government, as a call to action for all stakeholders to explore the dynamics of COVID-19 vaccine uptake, hesitancy, challenges, and health system governance in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Brima Sesay, BudgIT Sierra Leone’s country lead, uncovered findings from the research. He said, “Although Sierra Leone launched the COVID-19 vaccination in March 2021, as of March 2022, only around 1.1 million of the country’s 8 million population were fully vaccinated. One year later, only 20% of the target population, aged 12 years and above, were fully vaccinated.” The research uncovered findings from Sierra Leoneans’ experiences that led to poor vaccine uptake and poor health management at the hospitals while gathering healthcare workers’ perceptions of government support towards the health sector in the post-COVID-19 era. The research sought to unveil critical elements of COVID-19 health governance, accountability, and equity in Sierra Leone. By evaluating Civil Society Organizations and citizens’ monitoring efforts, the study explored the norms, social values, and psychological factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy in the country.
Key Insights from the Report
The report revealed that Sierra Leone faced challenges in the effective governance and distribution of vaccines, leading to slower uptake than anticipated. In response, the study provided recommendations for various governance actors, emphasising the need for continuous vigilance and learning from the Ebola and COVID-19 experiences to develop a robust health emergency preparedness and management plan. The findings included information on the structure of vaccine distribution, difficulties faced by healthcare professionals, and factors influencing vaccine hesitancy. Storage facilities, inadequate vaccine supply, lack of electricity in health units, and misinformation were critical issues hindering the vaccination process.
Top recommendations from the Report
The report’s recommendations were comprehensive and actionable. BudgIT emphasized the need for increased vaccine safety awareness to reduce vaccine hesitancy and increased allocation of resources to vaccination teams for efficient outreach and suitable storage facilities for vaccines across the country, among other recommendations. Daniel Conteh, BudgIT Program Officer, also encourages the government to involve CSOs in the vaccination process for adequate monitoring of vaccine distribution and the efficient use of scarce resources.
During the group discussions, participants raised concerns about limited access to remote areas as well as the role of media in the vaccination process. The BudgIT Sierra Leone’s team highlighted the need for partnerships to strengthen our healthcare systems, referencing our approach to using technology and community outreach efforts to intersect citizen engagement with institutional improvement to facilitate societal change. Similarly, BudgIT recommends a bottom-top approach, urging the government to involve health professionals, CSOs, and the media at the local level for effective policy change.
The report has information that demands the attention of all stakeholders. We all have a role to play in ensuring equitable vaccine distribution and demand for better health systems in Sierra Leone. Osiwa Sierra Leone (1)