Executive director of Health Alerts, a Sierra Leonean coalition of over 50 civil society organisations (CSOs), Victor Lansana Koroma has called on the governments of Cameroon and Senegal to establish dedicated public health agencies for swift emergency response.
Health Alerts comprises youth groups and media organisations, all advocating for improved health systems across Africa.
In an interview with Science Nigeria in Abuja, Koroma shared the pivotal role CSOs played in the establishment of Sierra Leone’s National Public Health Agency, responsible for unifying health security efforts. These include infection prevention, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and pandemic preparedness, managed under a single, autonomous body.
Koroma emphasised that the creation of this agency resulted from persistent, evidence-based advocacy and direct engagement with government officials. “This independent body, now operating outside the direct oversight of the Ministry of Health, provides a more integrated and cohesive response to public health emergencies,” Koroma noted.
He encouraged Cameroon and Senegal to adopt a similar model, highlighting that the proactive approach taken by Sierra Leonean CSOs could be replicated successfully in these countries. Koroma stated that strategic engagement with government authorities and accountability through scorecards are crucial for improving health outcomes. These scorecards track health security efforts, enabling CSOs to monitor and hold governments accountable for the proper utilisation of funds provided by development partners.
Koroma further explained the role of CSOs in financial transparency and the management of public health funds. “Our work as civil society is to ensure that resources are used judiciously,” he said, stressing that combining advocacy with accountability will lead to sustainable health outcomes.
Through active participation in peer review meetings and international collaborations, Sierra Leone’s CSOs have enhanced their capacity to monitor government activities and improve health security initiatives. This model of advocacy and accountability, Koroma said, could provide vital lessons for CSOs in Cameroon and Senegal to emulate.
