By: Patrick Hinga George, Public Education Officer
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Eastern Regional Office’s Prevention Unit in collaboration with the Regional Office’s Public Education Unit has held an inception meeting with senior management of the Kenema Government Hospital (KGH) and District Health Management Teams (DHMT) on the 13th March 2025 in the hospital’s hall in Kenema.
Explaining the purpose of the inception meeting, ACC’s Prevention Officer, Abibatu Abu-Matia, said the meeting aimed to officially inform and engage the key stakeholders about the pending thematic review of the Free Health Care (FHC) drugs the Commission intends to undertake, spanning the period from January 2023 to December 2024.
The review, according to the Prevention Officer, will examine the following documents: delivery notes, store ledger, way-book, request receipt, store cards etc. The goal is to ascertain the effective distribution and utilization of the free healthcare drugs provided by the government. “This initiative is part of a broader effort by the ACC to monitor and ensure that drugs meant for the public are distributed efficiently, used for their intended purpose, and not misappropriated or diverted,” she averred.
The ACC’s Eastern Regional Manager, Peter Baio Kamara, dilated on the importance of integrity and accountability in the delivery of services, particularly in the health sector. He highlighted that the health ministry plays a crucial role in saving lives, and its capacity to function effectively and ethically is fundamental to the country’s overall development.
Mr. Kamara urged the DHMT and hospital staff to reflect on their roles in the review process as frontliners in healthcare, taking into consideration that their work directly impacts the lives of Sierra Leoneans. He further entreated them to ensure that the life-saving drugs reach those in need as it would have a far-reaching impact on the health care system in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Kamara reminded the stakeholders that the ACC’s role is not only to investigate and prosecute but also to promote and encourage ethical behaviour across all sectors of government.
Public Education Officer, Patrick Hinga George, singled out misappropriation of public funds or property, misappropriation of donor funds or property, abuse of office, abuse of position, corrupt acquisition of wealth, possession of unexplained wealth and conflict of interest, as some of the key corruption offences mostly committed in the health sector.
Mr.George further reminded them of the need to constantly uphold integrity and high standards of professionalism in the discharge of their services to the public. “As medical practitioners, you know you are not a pharmacy and therefore, your policy does not allow you to sell drugs to patients. Do not also take the free medical drugs supplies and sell them. Above all, do not exploit your patients, and make sure you uphold integrity at all times,” he emphasised.
Earlier, the District Medical Officer, Dr. Donald Grant, commended the good work of the Commission and expressed his full support for the review process. Dr. Grant acknowledged the importance of transparency and accountability in the health sector and reassured the ACC that his team will cooperate fully with the review. “We recognize the importance of accountability, and we are committed to making sure that the review process is conducted with honesty and transparency. We will do everything we can to ensure that the review is successful, and the necessary improvements are made,” Dr. Grant added.
An interactive plenary session formed part of the meeting.
