5th July 2021
NEWS ITEM
The North- West Regional Manager of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) Mr. Al- Hassan Sesay has warned In-Charges of Community and Peripheral Health Centres across Kambia District to desist from extortion and other forms of corrupt practices while performing their duties or face the full force of the anti-corruption laws.
He made this stern warning during an In-Charges meeting of all the Peripheral Health Units (PHUs) in Kambia District at the Kambia Resource Centre Hall on the 29th June 2021.
Addressing the heads of the PHUs and other health workers, Manager Sesay acknowledged the roles and contribution of health workers to the survival of the state and noted that the quality of health services is fundamental to it's economic development noting that it is only a healthy human resources that can translate development aspirations to reality. As an institution, he said, the ACC is committed to ensuring best practices in their daily operations and to sanitize the sector from all forms of corruption.
Manager Sesay informed them that in response to numerous complaints and concerns from communities relating to corrupt practices prevalent in CHCs, the first step of action was to engage and warn in-Charges who bears the greatest responsibility and have both technical and administrative functions to put in place preventive measures that would mitigate incidences of corruption.
Commenting on professionalism and maintaining high sense of integrity, the Regional Head said they as In-Charges working in PHUs are public officers and are covered by the Anti-Corruption laws. "The ACC is now closer to your door steps and anyone found in any act of corruption will fave the full force of the ACC laws," he emphasized.
He informed them that in the midst of performing their duties, they must be mindful of the ACC’s elite scorpion squad and ensure that compliance to best practices are strictly adhered to.
Addressing key corruption issues relating to attendance and punctuality, mismanagement of free healthcare drugs including plumpy nuts, extortion and other forms of corrupt practices, the regional head explained key corruption offences including but not limited to offering, soliciting and accepting advantage, misappropriation of public and donor funds, abuse of office and position among others. He encouraged them to be professional and conduct themselves with high sense of integrity as well as maintaining ethical standards in discharging their functions.
Welcoming the ACC team, the District Health Sister Kadie S. Bureh thanked the team for engaging and educating them on various issues of corruption in the sector and also lauded the move to be a platform to get clarifications and guidance on various issues on corruption as well as increase their knowledge on pertinent matters on same.
Questions, comments and concerns from the health workers formed part of the discussions followed by the presentation of IEC materials.
