Pictorial of UNHCR Ambulances Donation To MoH
As Liberia joined the World to celebrate World Refugee Day on June 21, 2021, UNHCR used the occasion to donate four (4) ambulances to the Ministry of Health (MoH). The ambulances received on behalf of the Ministry by Hon. Norwu G. Howard, Deputy Minister for Administration, will benefit four counties, including Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, and Maryland Counties, respectively.
Incident Management System-Last Mile Health Conducts COVID-19 Awareness; Distributes Sermon Guide for Religious Leaders
(MONROVIA-Monday, June 28, 2021): The Incident Management System-COVID-19, and Last Mile Health are currently conducting a weeklong community engagement and awareness activities cross several counties in Liberia.
The rigorous awareness exercise targets all districts in Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Rivercess, and Grand Gedeh Counties.
A total of sixteen teams are being mobilized to work with community leaders with the Montserrado County Health Team, while four teams from the rest of the counties are now in full gear to ensure public awareness.
The robust awareness exercise focuses on the distribution of 500,000 locally made face masks to community leaders, school authorities, the Liberian Marketing Association, and civil society organizations.
Dr. Wilhelmina S. Jallah, Minister of Health, and Chairperson, Incident Management System, lauded Last Mile Health timely support to the Risk Communication Pillar.
Dr. Jallah stated that the launch of the ‘Mask Wearing campaign” by Last Mile Health and the Incident Management System is in consistent with the government of Liberia, and the Incident Management System desires to ensure Liberians and foreign Nationals’ abide by the health measures of wearing mask to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 Virus.
She praised Last Mile Health Family for its tremendous support to the IMS, including other interventions of the Health system.
For her part, Last Mile Health Country Director, Madam Marion Subah stated that her organization remain committed to Liberia’s health delivery system, especially the fight against COVID-19 Pandemic.
Madam Subah said Last Mile Health as part of the support to the Incident Management System, has allocated awareness support to other counties in which Last Mile Health is operational.
The ongoing exercise involves robust community engagement activities, the distribution of 500, 000 face masks, outreach activities using moving stage methodology, the distribution of social behavior change materials on the Dos & Don’t of COVID-19 to ensure Liberia contains the further the spread of the COVID-19 Virus.
Meanwhile, the Last Mile Health has presented to the Inter Religious Council of Liberia, two thousand sermon guide to aid religious leaders to enable them properly disseminate information on the COVID-19 pandemic across the country.
The sermon guide provides guidelines and specific COVID-19 messages for religious leader to disseminate to their various congregations, especially during the continued surge of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Receiving the sermon guides on half of the Islamic Community, Iman Abdullah G. Mansaray, President, Interfaith Religious Council, (IRCL),lauded the initiative by Last Mile Health and the Incident Management System to reach out to all across the country in its effort to containing the spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Iman Mansaray, stated that the Interfaith Religious Council will continued to be the beacon of hope amidst continued despair of Liberians in the wake of the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.
The Islamic prelate said the sermon guide will accelerate continued awareness on the Coronavirus Pandemic by religious leaders in Liberia, through various sermons by both Christians and Muslims in Liberia about the danger COVID-19 poses to the health and economic growth of the world.
Imam Mansaray, called on religious leaders to use the sermon guide as an important catalyst to changing the behavior of their various congregations attitude towards the fight of COVID-19 by abiding by all measure put in place by health authorities and the government of Liberia.
Signed:________________________
Chester A. Smith/Risk Communication Pillar Lead
REVISED COVID-19 NATIONAL GUIDELINES BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH-JUNE 2021
In consequence of increasing cases of the coronavirus disease in Liberia and given the statistics of the current spread of the virus in the communities, it’s modes of transmission and prevention, the Ministry of Health hereby announces a revised set of National COVID-19 Guidelines pursuant to chapter 14 of the public health law of Liberia as follows.
The revised guidelines will take immediate effect and remain in effect until otherwise modified:
1. Passengers who have been travelling from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh within the last 14 days will be not allowed entry into Liberia.
2. All persons shall mandatorily
a. Wear mask at all times in public
b. Ensure social physical distancing of a minimum of three (3) feet from each other
c. Wash hands with soap and clean water, or alcohol-bases sanitizer
d. COVID positive persons and contacts. All persons tested positive for COVID-19 there and contacts are requiring to comply with health authorities and related health rules such as keeping phone lines open, self-quarantine, submission to quarantine or observation measures, and adherence to medical advice.
3. Public offices are required to reduce staff by 50%, while others work at home.
4. All institutions of learning, places of worship shall remain open but strictly follow the health protocols listed in count 2 above.
5. Large gatherings of more than 20 persons including parties, weddings, vigils/wake, funerals are disallowed. Gatherings involving up to 20 persons are permitted provided the attendees follow the health protocols listed in count 2 about.
6. Sporting events are allowed but only in empty stadium (without spectators).
7. Restaurants and cook shops shall remain open provided persons and staff in attendance follow the health protocols listed in count 2 above.
8. Barber shops, lodges, and beauty salons and persons and staff in attendance shall follow the health protocols listed in count 2 above.
9. Banks shall only allow ten people at a time in service area and those outside the banks shall keep a distance of at least three feet apart from each other while awaiting service. Persons and staff in attendance shall follow the health protocols listed in Count 2 above.
10. Public Transports: taxis shall carry no more than three passengers in the back and one passenger in the front; kehkehs should carry only two passengers in the back and no passenger in the front, motor bikes shall carry only one passenger. All drivers/riders and passengers shall follow the protocols listed under count 2 above. Compulsory mask wearing is hereby imposed in all public transports.
11. All ports of entry and international traveler shall follow these guidelines as well as any other from the Liberia immigrations services, the Civil Aviation.
12. Transportation of the dead bodies of confirmed Covid19 person:
In or and out of the republic of Liberia is prohibited during this emergency. All airlines and funeral homes are advised to take note of this prohibition and all other existing health protocols.
13. All supermarkets and Large stores must insist on mask wearing and allow only 20 customers at a time, while those customers observe social distancing by being always a minimum of three feet apart. Those outside shall remain outside and stand a minimum of three feet apart as well, as they await their turn to be served. All businesses are under obligation to ensure that count 2 are complied with.
14. All health facilities, health institutions and pharmacies will remain open for routine service, with social distancing practices. All safety rules and procedures at hospitals and all facilities shall be strictly adhere to. Mandatory mask wearing is imposed at all health institutions.
15. All marketers, street sellers and buyers are required to abide by the health protocols listed in count 2.
16. Night clubs and bars shall close at 9pm, observing the 20 persons’ restrictions; other related entertainment centers such as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages shall close at 9pm
17. Community dwellers are required to report people who show signs and symptoms of the coronavirus such as (coughing, fever, difficulty breathing) in their communities to relevant health and security authorities. Please call (4455).
19. Sanctions: violation of these guidelines shall be dealt with in keeping with section 14.6 of the public health law which states in part:
“Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter or any of the rules made thereunder shall, upon conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding (US$200.00) two hundred United States dollars or imprisonment not exceeding thirty days, or both such fine and imprisonment”.
Additionally, the government may be compelled to impose a lockdown and or curfew if these guidelines are not fully complied.
20. The Ministry of Justice, as head of the joint security, shall in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, enforce these guidelines without prejudice.
Given Under my hand in the city of Monrovia this 17 day of June A. D. 2021
Signed: ________________________________________
Wilhelmina Jallah
Minister of Health
Dr Jallah Lauds Japan For Providing Quality Health Support to Liberia
(MONROVIA, Liberia, June 25, 2021) The Minister of Health Dr Wilhelmina Jallah has welcome decision by the Government and people of Japan through Ambassador H.E HIMENO Tsutomu to launch two programmes to strengthen the delivery of routine health services in health facilities and communities during COVID-19 and improving cold chain management worth US$ 2,499,900:00.
These two programmes fundings are part of Japan’s support to the Government of Liberia’s efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic through partnership with UNICEF.
The project strengthening routine health services in health facilities and communities programmes will be implemented in Montserrado and Margibi counties and aimed at benefiting over 43,000 children and 12,000 pregnant women in over 150 communities, while improving the cold chain programme will equip 190 health facilities with cold chain equipment and train 245 technicians and health workers to provide services for over 400,000 beneficiaries.
Speaking at the handover of the projects documents, Health Minister Wilhelmina Jallah lauded the people of Japan through its Ambassador including UNICEF in ensuring that Liberia becomes a recipient of the Integrated health project and Cold chain system.
She noted that the launch of the projects is very important to the Government of Liberia’s continued fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The energetic Health Minister indicated that the Government attaches great importance to the protection of its citizens, especially with the strengthening of the integrated health and Cold chain system projects.
“This launch is in time” indicated by Minister Jallah. She assured the Japanese Government that the projects will go a long way in strengthening the health sector and ably responding to the growing waves of the pandemic across the Country.
However, the Government of Japan’s main thematic priorities have remained EPI/Polio, Cold Chain system strengthening, provision of Health, WASH, Nutrition and Birth registration services to the most vulnerable population
“We thank the Government of Japan for its continued cooperation with UNICEF to support the children in Liberia during this global pandemic,” said Laila O. Gad, UNICEF Representative to Liberia. “UNICEF will continue to work closely with the Government of Liberia, UN agencies and partners, to ensure the health system in the country is well equipped, and health workers are well trained to respond appropriately to the threats of COVID-19.”
With this funding, UNICEF will continue its support to the Government of Liberia in its efforts to combat COVID-19 through the provision of cold chain equipment, strengthening the health system and building the capacities of the service providers.
Signed:________________________
Felecia Gbesioh
Director of Communication
Ministry of Health, R. L.
MoH Relocates COVID-19 First Dose Vaccination Centers
(June 23 2021, Monrovia, Liberia)— The Ministry of Health has designated the Monrovia City Hall, Paynesville City Hall and the old Heath Ministry on Capitol bye pass as venues for first dose of the AstraZeneca Immunization.
The general public is encouraged to use those mentioned venues to get vaccinated instead of the previous vaccination site at the Ministry in Congo Town.
Meanwhile, second phase of the Vaccine is being Administered at the following facilities: J.D.J, Redemption, J.F.K, UN clinics, ELWA, 14 Military, SOS, and Catholic
However, The Ministry of Health is seriously concerned with this new increase in the number of COVID-19 cases; as such, the Ministry encourages the general public to continuously follow all health measures announced by the Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, few days ago.
Signed: __________________________
Felecia Gbesioh
Director of Communications
Ministry of Health, R.L.