By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO-ACC-SL
In what can be described as a historic and unprecedented move, a cross section of the Management of the Connaught Government Hospital, has on Wednesday 6th September, 2023, called on the leadership of the ACC, to conduct a comprehensive review of the systems and processes at the hospital, in order to identify corruption risks and support the hospital with recommendations and best practices that will eliminate those risks and vulnerabilities.
The team, which comprised the Hospital Care Manager and Medical Superintendent, Dr. Ibrahim Mark Kapuwa, Senior Matron, Fatmata K. Jalloh, Hospital Secretary, Tejan Bayoh and Accountant Sununu Bah, started off by thanking the Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie, for the hospitality at a short notice.
Dr Kapuwa in his statement underscored that they have kept track of the great work of the ACC, and as public servants, they believe working with the ACC against corruption is the best route.
He further stated that though a lot has been done for better output, there were still challenges to quality service delivery in the hospital. He cited the service delivery charter, as an example, which he said was last reviewed over two years ago, as all the prices in it were obsolete, hence the need for integrity and ethics training for staff of the hospital, systems review exercise, etc., were all required.
He called on the ACC to work with the Hospital Management to bring about the necessary and desired changes. Dr. Kapuwa furthered that once we get it right at Connaught, we can then get it right across all other levels.
The Deputy Commissioner, Anti Corruption Commission Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 (ACC-SL), Augustine Foday Ngobie, in his response, appreciated the laudable venture by the Hospital Management to engage with the ACC-SL to help fight corruption in their institution. "You are among the few public administrators who have voluntarily approached the Commission and requested it to help make your systems resistant to corruption. We are pleased with this and hope others will emulate you," the Deputy Commissioner emphasized.
The proactive and result oriented Deputy Commissioner swiftly instructed the Director of Corruption Prevention Department, ACC-SL, Rashid Turay to constitute a team that will immediately commence work with the Hospital Management on the review of the Service Delivery Charter, the conduct of ethics and integrity training, all, aimed at enhancing quality health care service delivery.
The review work by the ACC shall commence immediately and will not exceed September 30, 2023, the Deputy Commissioner affirmed.
He also pledged the ACC's comittement to conducting robust public sensitization activities on the Service Charter that would be developed and other interventions the ACC will make in the hospital.
©️ Public Relations Unit, ACC
