FOCUS 1000 & PARTNERS CONCLUDE 3-DAY REVIEW AND VALIDATION WORKSHOP ON NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION POLICY

By Morlai Sesay

With support from the Mastercard Foundation, Africa CDC, and Amref under the Saving Lives and Livelihoods (SLL) project, FOCUS 1000 together with the Ministry of Health and other partners, FOCUS 1000 has on Saturday, 19th July 2025, concluded a three-day review and validation workshop in Sierra Leone’s National Immunization Policy at the Nelson Mandela Hall, Dohas Hotel, Bo district. The highly anticipated three-day workshop aims to review and validate Sierra Leone's immunization policy to ensure alignment with global health standards, identify areas for improvement in immunization coverage and access, and eventually strengthen partnerships between FOCUS 1000, government agencies, and other stakeholders to enhance immunization efforts across the country.

Speaking at the event, the OIC of FOCUS 1000, Yusuf Kargbo noted that FOCUS 1000 and its partners thought it expedient that the process of developing an approach to solving immunization control in Sierra Leone would be completed if the COVID-19 vaccine is integrated into the immunization project, noting that “it is with that commitment facilitated this august gathering in Bo for us to brainstorm on how we will work with the government and other partners so that they will look at critical issues regarding how to improve on the policies and how they can develop the implementation plan and then bring onboard the needed stakeholders to support us in implementing the issues that would be agreed after this workshop.”

On her part, Honorable Alice K. Sandy expressed her sincere respect and appreciation to FOCUS 1000 and its partners for organizing such a progressive and very important workshop. According to Hon. Sandy, “this review is a process that demonstrates our shared commitment to ensure that the policy is responsive, inclusive, and is aligned with global best practices.”

A representative from the Africa CDC, Dr. Evans, noted that the policy document is very important and very key in enhancing immunization process in Sierra Leone, stressing that the vision of the policy is in line with the call of the African Union, which states that vaccination for all is possible. “I would like to express our appreciation to FOCUS 1000, Ministry of Health and EPI for staging such a very important workshop. On behalf of African CDC, I will assure everyone present here that we will continue to provide technical support as far as this project is concerned whenever the need arises,” he assured.

The World Health Organization’s representative, Michael N’dole updated that immunization policy development and validation ensure that the expanded program on immunization effectively delivers its goals of reducing diseases and strengthening healthcare by aligning with national strategists and global immunization goals, thereby assessing and updating strategies based on performance data.

SR. Margret Manner from the Ministry of Health stated that the document has the potential to address the nation’s health policy that had been stipulated, reiterating that the document would also support the ministry in its drive to reduce the infant and maternal mortality in the country. “With what is in front of me, I can firmly state that this document will also address the current trajectory in our ministry as regards the life stages approach because we did not consider the elderly in terms of vulnerability and beneficiaries among the immunization programs,” she affirmed.

 As Sierra Leone continues to recover from public health crises like Ebola, COVID-19, and Mpox, the Saving Lives and Livelihood Project has stood its ground to support efforts to integrate COVID-19 vaccination into routine immunization, ensuring stronger and more resilient healthcare systems in Sierra Leone.