Momodu Sesay: MD, MPH, FWACP
Director Environmental Health and Sanitation.
Alhaji Dr Momodu Sesay is a senior public health specialist with a wealth of experience in community health, environmental health and sanitation and HIV and AIDS. He managed the National HIV and AIDS response working as Director General of the National HIV/AIDS secretariat.
As Director General, Dr Sesay worked closely with various national and international donor organizations including the Global Fund against Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, World Bank and German Fund. He championed the development of programmes for key affected populations in Sierra Leone and the introduction of HIV viral load testing.
Prior to this, he had also worked as Director of Primary Health Care where he initiated the development of the Community Health Workers (CHW) programme in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
Dr Sesay has extensive experience working in the districts especially during and post war revamping of health systems infrastructure and service delivery. He served as District Medical Officer in Pujehun and Kono districts respectively. As an entry point to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Dr Sesay trained and qualified as an environmental health officer and later became a Public Health Tutor at the National School of Hygiene, now Department of Community Health Sciences Njala University. Dr Sesay also served as Medical Coordinator of the National Hajj Committee for over five years during which he also provided medical services to Sierra Leonean pilgrims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Directorate
The Directorate of Environmental Health and Sanitation has as its mandate the setting up of standard, developing policies and strategies, undertake quality assurance, mobilize resources, build capacity, enforce compliance with statutory instruments, carry out monitoring, supervision and evaluation as well as coordinate all activities in the environmental health and sanitation sector.
There are currently six core programs managed by the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate:
- Integrated Waste Management Program
- WASH Program
- Housing and vector control Program
- Food Safety and Quality Control Program
- Occupational Health and Safety Program
- Port Health Services Program
Integrated Waste Management: This programme facilitates, promotes and regulates the participation of actors who will implement municipal solid waste management, health care waste management, industrial waste management, and electrical waste management in ways that are protective to human health and the environment. It develops safe, well-regulated and affordable faecal sludge management and sewerage services in ways that are protective to human health and the environment.
WASH Programme: This facilitates, promotes and regulates the participation of actors who will raise sanitation coverage to 100% and contribute to reach a 100% open defecation-free (ODF) Sierra Leone. It implements and sustains improved sanitation for schools, health facilities and other public institutions and locations. Monitor and enforce potable water quality and promote household water treatment and safe storage
Housing and vector control Program: This programme develops a framework and effective enforcement mechanism to address environmental health and sanitation issues in building a compound. Reduce the incidence of diseases attributable to vectors and neglected tropical diseases
Food Safety and Quality Control Programme: Ensures that all food (local and imported) served to the public (e.g. slaughterhouse (abattoir), restaurant) is regulated to protect the health of the public.
Occupational Health and Safety Programme: Ensures that industrial and mining accidents are well regulated and enforced, and educate all citizens about their rights in the workplace. It also ensures that work and working environment are safe and conducive.
Port Health: This is responsible for coordination of services dealing with the health of international travellers at the points of entry (PoE). Ensures that travellers entering and leaving Sierra Leone by land, air and sea abide by the international health regulations.
Coordination: This ensures the coordination of environmental health and sanitation services by key actors and develops a platform for inter-sectoral collaboration to promote environmental health, improved household sanitation and hygiene behaviour change.