Employees of the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 joined other government line ministries and agencies as well as community based organizations to participate in a day long risk communication workshop aimed at training participants on COVID-19 awareness, prevention and risk mitigation techniques in affected areas across the Country.

The workshop which gathered over 50 participants was held at the A La Lagoon Hotel in Oldest Congo Town, outside Monrovia.

The objectives of the seminar were to equip participants with best practices and methodologies to successfully conduct the awareness raising exercise in Monrovia (dates to be completed) August. Drawing on the vast communication, negotiation and training experience of the Governance Team (GT), including in the Covid-19 context, this seminar has been designed specifically for the Liberian CBRN National Team and Covid-19 experts. The GT seminar followed an interactive approach with simulations to allow for meaningful exchanges. The European Union (EU) Governance Team was represented by Pr. Linda Benrais, Lieutenant Colonel Yannick Durocher and Pr. Tariel Sikharulidze.

In introductory remarks, Pr. Linda Benrais, Eu Key Expert of the Governance Team and Mrs. Stefiania Micucci, Regional Coordinator of EU Center of Excellence for Africa Atlantic Façade, Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, lauded the Government of Liberia for its valuable import and qualities of participants sent to the training.

The EU Governance Team experts via a zoom communication reaffirmed its strong commitment and vowed to remain collaborative in supporting government in the domain of training of emerging experts who will work in the CBRNe risk mitigation.

Dr Martin Scott-Tabi, presenting a brief history of the organization, narrated that the platform was established in 2013 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and affiliated with the EU-CBRNe Center of Excellence of the African Atlantic Façade region in Rabat morocco, in which Liberia has participated in several initiatives of waste hazardous chemical, and hospital waste.

 According to Prof. Scott-Tabi, the organization has done baseline assessment of the CBRNe situation in Liberia to know the state of affairs on CBRN. “The organization is moving towards validation of needs assessed, and we are currently on project 71 which is the transportation of dangerous goods and project 69 is also the transportation of dangerous chemical by road and as well as by rail.

The National Action Plan that will govern the acts of CBRNe in Liberia is in progress. The organization has had three national meeting and is looking forward to the last meeting which will lead to validation by stakeholders. After which, the organization shall look up to developing a legislation on CBRNe that will pave the way for the program to either transcend to an existing state own agency, Ministry or would be made to become a commission which would enable them to reach the milestone set for the platform.

For the role-playing, the participants were divided into five major groups and asked to demonstrate skills and techniques provided them while attending the field functions.

Additionally, participants were informed that upon the completion of their training, they would be expected to carry out a three days’ fieldwork in five different communities across Montserrado, at this juncture, they would be expected to utilize and exhibit acquired skills to effectively communicate the public health risks associated with the COVID- 19 virus as well as the distribution of essential tools to mitigate the risk of propagation.

Professor Tabi also recommended to the host team the following:

•  Organizers of the training be ask to do flyers with brief statement on a door to door sensitization, awareness and protocol guiding the behaviors of participants during the three day field work.
• Future projects be implemented on the CBRNe risk mitigation, including chemical risk, biological risk , radiological risk, nuclear risk and explosive risk in order to conscientise  and safeguard the population and environment.

In conclusion, Prof. Scott Tabi, on behalf of the Government of Liberia, thanked the EU and its Governance Team for sponsoring the initiative and urged them to continue their support. The EU Governance Team commended the high quality and commitment of the trainer experts accompanied by the National Focal Point in this important work on the prevention of Covid-19 and other diseases in Liberia.

Signed: _______________________________________

           Felecia Gbesioh

           Director of Communication, MOH

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has received ten (10) new hard top ambulances from the World Bank to ensure the safe transfer of patients to health facilities across the Country. The donation made on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, will strengthen President George Manneh Weah-led government’s response to the fight against the deadly Coronavirus in Liberia.

The ambulances worth US$636,000.00 are well equipped with plasters, needles, IV Fluid, syringes, gloves, first aid kids, stretchers, AED machines, O2 tanks, suction and other medical equipment.

“These ambulances are well equipped with everything for our roads.  We will only need to refill them every time they arelow or short,” the energetic Health Minister, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah disclosed while giving importance of the equipment.

“What all you see here, today, are Compliments of the World Bank to Liberia, these ambulances are hard top. The ambulances have all the necessary equipment in it to handle patients, and will be able to go through the tough terrains,” Dr. Jallah emphasized.

She said the ambulances are equipped with everything that is needed for patients before their arrival at a health center.

“We have all of the resuscitation bags, AED to start the heart (if the ambulance comes on the scene and your heart has stopped, it will be used to start the heart to bring you back to life and it’s very important),” Dr. Jallah explained. “The ambulances have two oxygen tanks in each, and when they are filled, we will have no problem with oxygen.”

According to her, the Ministry has two equipped ambulances at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) and the additional 10 will be more helpful in picking people up from any location.

She lauded World Bank for the donation and all the people who worked hard to procure them.

For his part, Mr Mathew T. K. Flomo, Project Implementation Unit Manager of World Bank Health Portfolio, says the donation was made as a result of his organization’s commitment to buttress government’s efforts in the fight against the sporadic Coronavirus in Liberia.

“We have made a commitment to supporting this fight against the Coronavirus globally. This is why we have decided to donate these ambulances to the Ministry in order to quickly transport patients to a health center,” he indicated.

The World Project Manager lauded Government for mustering the courage in the fight against the virus and called on Liberians to apply all health protocols instituted by health authorities. 

Meanwhile, the Director of Emergency and Response at the Ministry, Mark Luke, says for the first time in Liberia, the country has emergency medical services (EMS) along with emergency medical team (EMT) (people in the ambulance who provide medical care for people everywhere).

“We also have the dispatch team who receive the call and establish the situation and subsequently come to the location. We have our contacts: 0775588588 or 0881747070. Our staff are sitting and waiting to receive your call and dispatch an ambulance immediately,” Mr. Luke explains.

He called on the public to be patient to respond to the dispatch team’s inquiries, including nature of the case and problem, which is important to determine the appropriate ambulance that is needed to take a patient to the health center.

“If your level is low, then we know the practitioners to send to you and if your level is high, we will know also what practitioners to send to you. We are hoping that wherever you are, the ambulance can reach to you in the shortest possible time, considering the numbers of ambulances now,” Mr. Luke added.

Plans are on the way in order to distribute the ambulances among counties, as Montserrado and hard-to-reach Counties are expected to be prioritized.

In addition to the 10 brand new ambulances, fifteen (15) ambulances are expected shortly in country to be distributed among the 15 political sub-division of the Country to ensure that every county has emergency medical services.

Signed: _______________________________________

           Felecia Gbesioh

           Director of Communication, MOH

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has stepped up the campaign to wear mask to avert the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Country. Liberian Health Minister, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah embarked on the exercise on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, with nose mask distribution to street peddlers, including photographers, bike riders as well as private and commercial drivers in Monrovia.

The Minister’s latest move is aimed at preventing the spread of the virus, which is an extension of President George Manneh Weah-led government’s 1 Million Masks Project, headed by Mr. Presley S. Tenwah.

 Minister Jallah drew attention to the importance of proper use of nose mask, right from selection of the type of masks to the right way to wear, remove, and properly dispose them. The Ministry will follow up the nose mask campaign with public campaigns, stressing on the practice of washing hands with soap and water or by using a hand sanitizer as well as maintaining physical distancing.

“As of today, we will continue this exercise club together into one message. The messages pertain to wearing mask, washing hands, and maintaining a safe requisite distance. It will be conducted one at a time in order to make it the focus,” Dr. Jallah said.

Nose mask wearing, according to the Minister, when adopted as a culture by every Liberian, would prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people.

 “At least if you wear the mask, you will protect yourself, you will protect me, and you will protect your family,” she told petty traders at the Boulevard Junction in Congo Town.

She expounded that wearing mask is a crucial practice in reducing risk of contracting the virus. However, mask should be used properly and be supported by other health protocols, such as handwashing with soap water and ensuring a physical distance of at least one meter among people.

“The purpose of this mask distribution is that it can keep respiratory droplets from reaching others to aid with source control.”

” We have recommended nose mask wearing, which is key to preventing the virus even though it is difficult to keep on, but by adopting the culture of mask wearing, we can eradicate the virus.”

According to Hon. Jallah, when the mask is worn over nose and mouth, it will reduce spread of the virus: “The virus spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), so the use of mask is particularly important in settings where people are closed to each other or where social distancing is difficult to maintain; therefore, we want you to please wear your mask while you are in public,” Dr. Jallah pleads. 

She emphasized the importance for Liberians to believe the existence of the COVID-19, adding that collaboration and collectiveness is the best tool to fighting any global pandemic.

“This virus exists among us so we must work together collectively to stop its further spread by wearing our mask; order than this, we will continue spreading the virus among us”, she cautioned.

The energetic and farsighted Minister thanked H.E. President George Manneh Weah for entrusting her to contribute to the Country, especially in the Health system where she serves as Minister.

Signed: _______________________________________

           Felecia Gbesioh

           Director of Communication, MOH

Liberia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, on Monday, August 10, 2020 extended profound thanks to the Government and people of Israel for donating several assorted medical consignment to the Ministry of Health (MOH).

While unveiling the assorted medical supplies at the Ministry, Dr. Jallah said: “Even though COVID-19 is being fought around the World, but there are friends of Liberia who are still making frantic efforts to curb the spread of the virus through their strategic donation help curb the spread of the virus.”

She continues: “one of those good friends that sent these assorted medical supplies is the government Israel.  These consignments were received through its embassy as a way of contributing to Liberia’s COVID-19 response”,

Dr. Jallah named nose masks, gloves, thermometers, among others medical items as materials found in the package. These assorted items are expected to be distributed among both government and private health facilities throughout the Country in order to curtail the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.

The Ministry lately last month embarked on distribution of essential drugs and medical supplies to help boost the fight against the COVID-19. As a result, Dr. Jallah disclosed that the Ministry has adopted strategies aimed at visiting health facilities in order to identify hospitals and clinics in demand of more supplies to benefit from the donation.

“We are going to check around the Country to find out how many health facilities lack these materials before we can start any distribution. We don’t want to stock other facilities with more items, while other facilities are empty”, she indicated.

Signed: _______________________________________

           Felecia Gbesioh

           Director of Communication, MOH