(Congo Town, Monrovia, Liberia, February 18, 2022) As part of bilateral relations with the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health for the provision of quality healthcare Services delivery in Liberia, the Italian Embassy near Monrovia through its Ambassador-At-Large H. E. Riccardo Milici, has donated one laptop computer and a Samsung iPhone to the Nursing and Midwifery Division of the Ministry of Health. The donation was made in Congo Town on Friday, February 18, 2022.
The donation will enhance equipment of the Ministry’s newly established mini health post aimed at providing healthcare services for employees of the Ministry, according to Diana T. Sarteh, Acting Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer of the Ministry.
“We have brought these equipment to enhance the working of the mini post being established by the Ministry. We are grateful for being in partnership with the Ministry and Liberia as a whole”, H.E. Riccardo Milici noted.
The Italian Embassy has made significant sacrifices and needed contributions to the health sector of Liberia, with assorted medical supplies donated to the ministry being few.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the government and people of Liberia, Hon. George Paygar Jacobs, Assistant Minister for Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Health recounted the numerous contributions made by the government and people of Italy, describing it as a milestone for the provision of quality service delivery.
“On behalf of the Minister of Health, we want to appreciate you for the delivery of these items. And thanks also for the support and commitment to the health sector over the period,” Minister Jacobs remarked.
(February 17, 2022, Monrovia, Liberia)—the Ministry of Health in collaboration with local and international partners has concluded a three-day long mental health workshop aimed at developing a theory of change that would provide a strategic directions to mental health and psychosocial integration into selected countries’ national emergency preparedness and response plans on the African continent.
The workshop, which started from February 15 to 17, 2022, was held in Monrovia under the theme “Strengthening Mental Health And Psychosocial Support Integration Into Emergency Preparedness And Response.”
Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah who officially kicked off the opening told participants that Mental, neurological and substance use disorders are highly prevalent and burdensome on the African continent as a result of large numbers of emergencies, including conflicts and outbreaks; such as Ebola, COVID-19 and other disasters, saying “All such emergencies have a huge impact on the mental health, causing widespread of distress and impact negatively on national development”.
The Liberian Health Minister was concerned about the permeating and unfortunate mental health emergency that causes suffering and migration which continues to impose threat on the African continent.
She said, those unfortunate situations are increasingly rare in the region of West Africa; of which Liberia is inclusive in experiencing emergency, and “we have seen the negative impact of war and other traumatic experiences on our people’s mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic, Ebola epidemic and many other outbreaks, including fewer and diseases mainly increase the mental health need of the people in Liberia.”
In supra, the MOH recognizes the need for action to reduce the burden, and to enhance the capacity of healthcare service providers to respond to this growing challenge. The National Mental Health Program is aimed at scaling up services for mental, neurological and substance use disorders across the country.
“As a recognition of the importance of mental health, the MOH and partners have been working hard, to experience access to and improve the deliverables of mental health services.
“Hundreds of healthcare workers across the country were trained and equipped with skills to provide mental healthcare.” She remarked earlier.
However, the development of comprehensive description and illustration of how MHPS integration will translate into positive health outcomes in short, medium and long range to contribute to the overall goal of strengthening mental health system in Africa, especially in emergency response was highlighted and discussed among participants.
Shared lessons from COVID-19 and other emergency responses; and familiarizing the participants with MHPS minimum services package for effective emergency response were part of the three days learning sessions.
Hon. Angie Tarr Nyankoon, Director of National Mental Health Program at the Ministry of Health shared with participants some gains Liberia has made in drafting mental health legislation that are expected to be in circulation for public consumption.
“The Liberian government has passed a mental health law that is printed into handbill and is ready for dissemination to educate the public on mental health issues and ways forward”, she noted.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah, Africa’s CDC Health of Division for Disease Control and Prevention, called for sustainability of such educative international engagement to ensure an integrated mental health emergency preparedness response on the African Continent.
“What’s next for us? How do we link it to a sustainable in order to ensure that we integrate it into an emergency preparedness response. What do we do concrete to move this forward in our countries. The consortium is here to support, Africa CDC is here to support and this one areas where Africa CDC does very well to integrate what you are doing into a sustainable system within the country,” He averred.
Climaxing the workshop, Montserrado County Health Team’s head, Dr. Yatta Wapoe, speaking on behalf of government and the Ministry of Health, used the occasion to thank the organizers for selecting Liberia as host.
“We are happy to have this opportunity to collaborate with a coalition of mental health experts from the African Center for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), the Eastern African Health Community and the UK Health Rapid Response. We are also glad to be joined by representatives from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Cameroon as well as the very hardworking mental health and psychosocial health support representative in Liberia and other countries. This workshop is an important step towards making mental health a priority and the essential part of the emergency response and the overall strengthening of mental health system in Africa.
The National Mental Health and Psychosocial pillar as part of the IMS has worked tirelessly in responding to various outbreaks. Moving forward, the government through the Ministry of Health commits the full support and integrate mental health and psychosocial support into the emergency preparedness and response.
Successful scaling up is the joint responsibility of governments, health professionals, civil society, communities, and families, with support from the international community.
(February 14, 2022, Monrovia, Liberia)—the government of Liberia and the government of the United States of America have signed a government-to-government partnership agreement to improve the Liberian health sector over the next five years.
Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Kemayah signed on behalf of Liberia, while Ms. Dana Banks, Special Assistant to US President Joe Biden and Senior Director for Africa at the National Security Council, signed on behalf of America.
Speaking at the signing ceremony Monday, February 14, 2022, Liberian Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah acknowledged and expressed gratitude to the government and people of the United States for their continuous support to the health sector as well as the Ministry of Health and Liberia as a whole.
“We recount your support to the Ministry of Health through the government-to-government agreement”, she noted. “This is one of the first countries to have a government-to-government agreement called FARA, which supports public health interventions in eight (8) counties (Bong, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Nimba, River Gee, Margibi, Lofa and Grand Gedeh counties) in line with the national health agenda and overall USAID support to the government and people of Liberia”.
After more than ten (10) years of this partnership, the government-to-government partnership agreement has worked in line with its tenant.
The government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health has been able to demonstrate improvement in the health outcomes of the nation. There have been several measures instituted including a robust financial management system that shows accountability and improvement in key indicators of the national and international consents.
“Honorable Banks, as our joint review has always demonstrated accountability and value for money, we hereby commit to both governments our outmost technical and fiduciary management for resources entrusted into our care”, Dr. Jallah committed.
This US$55 million, which represent third government-to-government cycle—a support to the health sector—will go a long way to improve health service outcomes and strengthen system at national levels in the framework of the national decentralization agenda on health.
According to Dr. Jallah this third cycles is as a result of positive health outcomes achieved from the first and second circles.
Meanwhile, the US head of delegation to the Bicentennial celebration of Liberia, Honorable Dana Banks said the agreement signed demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to strengthening health, combating malaria; advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights; maternal, neonatal, and child health; and accelerating efforts towards universal health coverage.
The Fixed Amount Reimbursement Agreement (FARA) activity with the Ministry in eight counties including Bong, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Nimba, River Gee, Lofa Margibi and Grand Gedeh counties, provides support to the MOH in the implementation of its 10 year National Health Policy and Plan. Under this agreement, USAID reimburses the Government of Liberia (GOL) for the cost of implementing the Essential Package of Health Services in three counties covering a population of roughly over 1.4 million Liberians.
The implementation of the agreement will focus on key areas that will stimulate Government of Liberia health systems and improve maternal, newborn and child health, family planning and reproductive health, and malaria; service delivery; and improve the quality of health services at the point of health care
(February 2, 2022, Paynesville, Liberia)—the Ministry of Health (MOH), through the Montserrado County Health Team, on February 2, 2022, received a donation of assorted medical supplies from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The donated supplies, consisting of buckets for handwashing stations, liquid soap, hand sanitizers, liquid bleach and posters for promotion.
The US$5,500.00 donation was made at the head office of the Montserrado County Health Team in the City of Paynesville.
Those Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) materials will be mainly used at health facilities in Montserrado County to strengthen COVID-19 response and routine health services, according to Nakata Yoshimi, JICA’s Deputy Head of Office in Liberia.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Ministry of Health was Dr. Yatta Sackie-Wapoe, County Health Officer (CHO) of Montserrado County Health Team, who lavished praises on JICA for continuously contributing to the Country’s health sector, Montserrado county in particular.
“On behalf of the Montserrado County Team, yea Liberia, we like to appreciate JICA for all what you have done for the people of Montserrado and Liberia. Your support cannot be overemphasized. This has significantly helped us, especially to improve IPC situation in our different facilities,” Dr. Wapoe remarked.
The Montserrado County Health Team’s head used the occasion to assure their commitment to use the donated items for its intended purpose.
However, the donation is part of the technical cooperation project between the Ministry of Health and JICA. The Technical Cooperation “Project for Management Capacity Development for Improvement of Health Services in Montserrado County’’ aimed to strengthen management capacity of the Montserrado County Health Team, so that health service delivery, especially Maternal and Child Health care, is improved.
Accordingly, it is a three-year project, being implemented until September 2024. Under the project agreement, JICA is expected to closely work with the Montserrado county Health Team to enhance its staff management capacity through the following activities: to conduct managerial training for MCHT staff on planning, monitoring & evaluation, provision of technical support in developing an annual operational plan, and conducting performance review and report;; to enhance capacity of project management and to support the development and implementation of mini projects through a step-by- procedures; to strengthen health facility management; and to conduct learning and sharing activities on learning experiences and good practices.
Since 2012, JICA has been supporting MCHT and working together to improve basic functions of the county health team. It started this new technical cooperation in 2019, to address the need of improving maternal and child health services at local public hospitals, health centers and clinics.
