By: Juliana Vandy, 
Strategic Communications Unit - MIC 

The Office of the Vice President on Monday, 3rd April 2023, held a private sector executive meeting to improve on private sector collaboration and enhance the establishment of an official Health Private Sector Partners (HPSP) group. 
The Private Sector Executive meeting was aimed at bringing private sector stakeholders together, recognise their contribution to the country, and keep to speed with the current state of the health sector in the country.  
Speaking at the meeting, the Hon. Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, thanked private sector players for their continued support to the government, particularly in the health sector.  
He recalled that certain companies at the height of the COVID health crisis supported government with finance, medical supplies construction of health facilities, among others.   
The main objective of the meeting, according to him, was to see how government can structure its relationship with the private sector in such a way that it can better tap into the support they give to the health sector.
Dr. Juldeh Jalloh pointed out that when they took office, budgetary allocation to the health sector was 6% but the government of President Julius Maada Bio has progressively increased it to 8% and presently 11.6%. 
He added that this intervention has positively impacted the health sector by reducing infant and maternal death in the country, improved on hospital management and supervision and expanded on healthcare service delivery. 
He encouraged private sector players to also invest in the health sector by way of service delivery in order to strengthen the collaboration and improve the health system of the country, assuring of government’s commitment to guaranteeing and supporting such negotiations.   
The meeting climaxed with the formation of an interim executive of the Health Private Sector Partners (HPSP) group.