Wusu Sannoh, Chairman, Bo Town Council, Bo District

I have served in this institution for about 22 years. Health care responsibilities devolved to town councils include Primary Health Care, Births and Deaths, Health Education, Environmental Health, Public Health. As far as public and environmental health are concerned, solid waste management (collection and dumping) in the township is our primary responsibility.

Wusu Sannoh, Chairman, Bo Town Council, making a point

The devolution of health care delivery programmes is a brilliant initiative on the part of Government. Unlike in the past when the central Health Ministry was overburdened and most essential health care programmes especially at community levels ignored or not adequately addressed, it is now possible for us to do more at local levels.

We undertake regular general cleaning exercises on Saturdays of every month, an initiative introduced in Sierra Leone by the then National Provisional Ruling Council junta. Almost all public and private sector communities are involved in this exercise, including The Sierra Leone Police, Motor Drivers, Labour Congress, community based organizations and Councillors. In addition, we have employed the services of 60 casual workers to clean the city centre, main streets and public sites everyday on rotational and zonal basis. We also have a few amounts of street trucks and flash bag for solid waste removal and disposal.

Moreover, we have in place an Environmental Management Committee and a Health Committee headed by Councilor Amara Bangali (West ward-Bo) and Josephine Marchew that collaborate in environmental health and other public heath and sanitation programmes. This has not been the case before.

So the health care delivery services and systems, and sanitation situation in Bo Town in particular and district in general are at advanced stages.