22nd April, 2026
The National Executive Discussion on Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) was convened at the Family Kingdom Resort, Aberdeen, Western Area Urban. Chaired by Dr. James Squire, Director of Surveillance and Epidemiology at the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), the meeting brought together representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the National Early Warning Agency, and a wide range of NPHA directorates. These included Bio-Medical, Laboratory, ICT, Surveillance, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR), Points of Entry, Human Resources, Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), and Case Management. This broad participation reflected Sierra Leone’s commitment to a multi-sectoral approach in strengthening emergency preparedness and response.
The discussion was funded and supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, through the Health Security, Emergencies, and Disease Assistance (HEADA) program. This support was pivotal in convening diverse stakeholders and ensuring that the session was anchored in international best practices. The importance of this Executive Discussion cannot be overstated. It provided a rare and valuable platform for national leadership, technical experts, and operational teams to jointly assess Sierra Leone’s PHEM capacity. By fostering collaboration across institutions, the meeting strengthened national ownership of the process, encouraged alignment of priorities, and ensured that recommendations were both context-specific and actionable. Most importantly, it created the space to identify gaps in existing systems and chart clear next steps for building resilience against future public health threats.
A major highlight of the session was the presentation of the PHEM Tool findings and recommendations, delivered by Dr. Shivani Dama on behalf of the U.S. CDC. Her presentation provided a comprehensive overview of Sierra Leone’s PHEM program capacity, outlining existing strengths such as the current workforce and established plans and processes, while also identifying opportunities for development in areas like workforce expansion, operational refinement, and surveillance systems. Dr. Dama emphasized the importance of strengthening program activities, including training staff already in place, and highlighted the need for Sierra Leone to identify clear national priorities within the PHEM framework.
Following the presentation, the technical team engaged in detailed discussions and validation of the PHEM Tool findings and recommendations. This collaborative process ensured that the outcomes were context-specific, actionable, and aligned with Sierra Leone’s national priorities. Importantly, the validation exercise reinforced the need to identify gaps within the existing system, whether in workforce capacity, operational processes, or coordination mechanisms, and to address them systematically. Recognizing and closing these gaps is essential for guiding reforms, mobilizing resources, and ensuring that the country’s emergency management structures are both resilient and responsive.
The involvement of MDAs, NDMA, the National Early Warning Agency, and NPHA directorates highlighted the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration in public health emergency management. Each institution contributed unique expertise, from surveillance and ICT systems to case management and risk communication, ensuring that Sierra Leone’s preparedness is comprehensive and resilient. Supported by the U.S. CDC through HEADA, the Family Kingdom session marked a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s journey toward robust public health emergency preparedness. By combining technical expertise, leadership commitment, and a strong focus on identifying and addressing gaps, the country is positioning itself to strengthen its PHEM program and safeguard the health and well-being of its population.
Public Relations Unit
NPHA-SL