NPHA, CDC Partner for a Healthier Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone's National Public Health Agency (NPHA) leadership met with the CDC Country Office team in Freetown on March 4, 2024, to solidify a strong partnership for a healthier future. The NPHA delegation, led by Brigadier General Professor Foday Sahr, Executive Director, expressed their appreciation for the CDC's long-standing support of public health initiatives in Sierra Leone.

"We are incredibly grateful for the CDC's steadfast commitment to Sierra Leone's public health," said Professor Sahr. "Their collaboration has been instrumental in establishing the NPHA and strengthening our disease surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, and overall preparedness for public health emergencies."

A Shared Vision for a Healthier Future

The NPHA team, which included Dr. Mohammad Alex Vandi, Deputy Executive Director - Technical, and other technical officers, presented their priorities for 2024. These priorities focus on a "One Health Approach," emphasizing collaboration across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.

"By working together across sectors, we can be more effective in predicting, preventing, detecting, and responding to public health threats," explained Dr. Vandi.

The NPHA's key priorities for 2024 include:

• Strengthening disease surveillance and applied epidemiology

• Enhancing public health laboratory capacity

• Improving public health emergency management preparedness and response

• Training and equipping public health professionals

• Strengthening border health measures

• Improving case management, infection prevention and control (IPC), and risk communication and community engagement (RCCE)

• Developing stronger information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure for public health data management

The CDC delegation, led by Dr. Daphne Moffet, Country Director, warmly welcomed the NPHA team and reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration.

"We've seen incredible progress in Sierra Leone's public health system through our joint efforts," said Dr. Moffet. "The establishment of the electronic disease reporting system, the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), and the strengthening of laboratory capacity are all testaments to this successful partnership."

Looking Ahead

The meeting solidified the strong partnership between the NPHA and the CDC, fostering continued collaboration for a healthier future for Sierra Leone. The presence of CDC-funded partners like ICAP, AFENET, HEADA, ASM, Jhpiego, and the Ministry of Health (MOH) at the meeting further emphasizes the commitment to a multi-faceted approach to public health in the country.

Photo 1: CDC Country Director, Dr. Daphne Moffet, and her team engage in discussions with the NPHA leadership at the CDC country office in Cockerill on March 4, 2024, fostering collaboration for public health initiatives.

Photo 2: Building Partnerships for Public Health. CDC Country Leadership and staff, CDC-funded partners, and the NPHA leadership team pose for a group photo following their productive discussions on March 4, 2024, outside the CDC country office in Cockerill.