NCRA Trains Healthcare Workers on Births & Deaths Data Collection

By: Amadu Wurie Timbo

The National Civil Registration Authority on Monday 25th October 2021 trained Healthcare Workers on Births and Deaths Digital Registration and Notification.

Commenced at the Bombali District Council Hall in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone, the event was categorized as ‘Training of Trainers’ for 40 Healthcare Workers functioning in distinct Government Healthcare Centres across Bombali District who were netted with Births and Deaths data collection training. Wherein they are expected to further cascade the message to colleagues at Healthcare centres level to ensure even contribution in this new system of Digital Registration and Notification.

In his presentation, Ivan Palmer the Bombali District Information Technology Officer at NCRA disclosed that, Births registration is important to be done for all new-born in the country as a way of granting them Birth Certificates; a Basic Legal Document that gives identity to a child, and automatically presents a number of rights such as the right to schooling, property ownership, health care, employment, voting, etc. while, Deaths registration will help Government and Family members of diseased to know the cause of death and who should claim available properties or finances.

He stressed “this new system of registration will make births and deaths registration easy for staffs as each Healthcare centre will soon be provided with the necessary Registration and Notification Devices for the collection of Data of both citizens and non-Citizens in Sierra Leone. This process will aid a lot to Government and Donors as to how they should do accurate planning of budget for Development, Health workers are advised to accurately register and provide Birth Certificates to Children with ages ranging 0-90 days in a cost-free bases.“

According to AbuBakarr Javombo the Director of Operations and Services at NCRA, the proposed new system of registration will provide children with Birth Certificates in less than ten minutes after Birth. “this system is unique and can deny children and parents from altering Birth Date of any Citizen when once it is recorded and transferred to the NCRA Headquarter in Freetown but however, children can visit NCRA offices to update their details when rise to the age of 12 years.”

Adding, “the training is being done in National, regional District and down to Healthcare centre level for in-charged Nurses and Community Health Workers.”

He further assured that the process will soon be lunched once trainings are completed as phones, Certificates, Laptops and VIU devices are now available for onward distribution to Healthcare centres across the Nation.

Speaking on behalf of attendees, Saffiatu Sankoh the In-charged Nurse at the Kamasikie Maternal Child Health post celebrated the event as she revealed that, the training has expand their knowledge on the proposed digital registration process that will effect protection on the rights of Children in the country.

To her, the exercise will reduce pressure in their work. Owning the fact that, it is safer, easier and would save them adequate time to respond to other cases in their respective Healthcare Centres. She however heartened parents and Guardians to act in accordance with the valiant Digital Births and Deaths Data Collection for the good of the Nation and individuals.