As part of its institutional engagement drive, the North-West Regional Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on 10th June 2025, conducted an inspection of the Port Loko District Medical Store following the commencement of the distribution of Free Health Care (FHC) commodities for the first quarter of 2025 across all districts in Sierra Leone.
Addressing staff of the District Medical Store, Regional Director, ACC, Zainab Othman, stated that the inspection was carried out in collaboration with the National Medical Supplies Agency to monitor and oversee the distribution of FHC commodities, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.
She emphasized the importance of maintaining proper documentation for all medical supplies to guarantee accountability and enhance the quality of healthcare services. Miss Othman highlighted the Commission’s mandate to conduct regular inspections and audits to ensure that medical stores operate ethically and in line with best practices.“Through such checks and oversight functions, we can safeguard public health and uphold the integrity of healthcare delivery,” she said.
During a guided tour of the storage facilities, Miss Othman pointed out that improper storage could compromise the efficacy of the medicines and pose serious risks to patients relying on them for treatment.
Leading the tour, District Pharmacist, Umaru Jaward, assured the team that the store adheres to best practices and that all processes are closely supervised to maintain high standards.
District Information Officer, Amin Kamara, further explained the procedures for picking and packing the health commodities after receiving them from the central store. He noted that distribution to Peripheral Health Units (PHUs) is done using a structured distribution matrix developed by the team. To enhance efficiency and ensure transparency, he added, a responsible individual is assigned to each transporter. This, he said, allows for real-time monitoring, prompt identification of discrepancies, and proper resolution through a returns and claims process.
