MOH Receives 15 Ambulances from World Bank To Fight COVID -19
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has, once again, received another donation of fifteen (15) new hard top Land Cruisers ambulances from the World Bank to ensure the safe transfer of patients to health facilities across the Country.
The donation was made on Friday, October 23, 2020, at the Ministry’s office in Congo Town. The 15 ambulances are great milestones for the ministry and government.
In a brief statement, the energetic Health Minister, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, lavished praises on the World Bank for continuously contributing to the Country’s health sector: “On behalf of my Boss, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, MOH, IMS and all those who have been participating in the COIVD-19 response, I want to say thank for this donation. These ambulances were purchased under the COVID-19 response to be used by MOH, not only to transport COVID-19 patients but, to enable us strengthen routine care for our people. We want to thank the world Bank and our local team for all the work that they did collaboratively to have made these ambulances reached. I want to thank UNOPS for the delivery and even taking on the responsibility to procure these ambulances under the World Bank project. I want to turn these keys over to the administration, which will later be turned over to the Transport Department We are going to monitor all of these ambulances and make sure they are all use for the intended. Your contribution to this Government is something that cannot be overemphasized. We are proud of this donation, and we will ensure that these items reach their intended beneficiaries.
Dr. Jallah said the distribution of the donation made is expected to commence within the soonest possible time. “We will soon start the distribution of these ambulances to our needed counties once all modalities are worked out,” she informed.
The Minister used the occasion to call on Liberians to continuously follow all health protocols prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and health authorities in the country for their safety, saying “We should not forget that the virus in the Country. Please let’s continuously follow all of the health measures prescribed by WHO and health authorities in the country to avoid further spread of the virus. Thanks for all the work that you do for us intense of keeping us strict as we all embark on keeping Liberia save.”.
Meanwhile, the Project Manager of World Bank to Liberia, Mr. Mathew Flomo, disclosed that the donation is in fulfillment of a promise made to the Ministry in early August this year to procure 15 additional vehicles (ambulances) to heighten the Country’s fight against the pandemic, which according to him is World Bank’s goal to curtail further spread of the deadly pandemic.
“Madam Minister, this donation is in fulfillment of a promise made by the World Bank to beef up the Ministry’s fight against the virus. Therefore, I am pleased to turn over these vehicles to the government through your Ministry to enhance the fight against the virus. We hope that together we can end this global health crisis,”
However, after the novel coronavirus pandemic first case in Liberia was reported on March 16, 2020, the Ministry of Health and the Government of Liberia obtained funds from the World Bank to support Liberia’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Project.
The project intends to support the MOH with essential equipment including vehicles (ambulances) that are required for use by the Ministry and other frontline agencies involved in the response.
The 15 ambulances were strategically and durably procured by UNOPS through the World Bank.
This donation is aimed at equipping the Ministry with the needed logistics to effectively follow the outbreak of COVID-19 promptly.
Since the outbreak of the virus in the country, this is the third time the World Bank has made such a huge donation to the Country through the Ministry. In July and August this year, the Financial body donated 20 ventilators (in addition to the 4 ventilators government had in Country) and 10 hardtop ambulances to boost Liberia’s preparedness in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. As it stands, the World Bank has donated 25 ambulances donated in total.
Signed: ____________________________
Felecia Gbesioh
Director of Communication, MOH
Dr. Jallah Praises Partners, Liberians for Collective Fight Against COVID-19
Liberian Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah has praised local and International partners as well as Liberians for being corporative and supportive in the fight against the fatal Coronavirus since its outbreak early this year. “The Cordial Corporation and support from both our local and international partners as well as our citizens have heightened collective front in the combat against the virus,” Dr. Jallah praised.
The Minister asserted during a turnover ceremony of a huge medicine consignment donated by Partners in Health (PIH) to the Ministry Health on Monday, October 5, 2020, at the Ministry in Oldest Congo Town. The approximately US$5000.00 worth of medical supplies includes Tubes, Microcentrifuge, pipette tips, filters, pre-sterilized screw cap tubes, among others. These items will be taken to the Central Medicines Store (CMS) for onward distribution to various Government’s health facilities across the Country.
Acknowledging the numerous contributions made by PIH in three of the Country’s fifteen counties to buttress government’s efforts in providing accessible and quality health delivery for all, which is also enshrined in PIH’s manifestos, Dr. Jallah said: “On behalf of the President, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah and the entire Incident Management System (IMS), we want to extend our profound gratitude to Partners In Health (PIM) for its assiduous and unremitting partnership with the Republic of Liberia, especially the works they are doing in Maryland, Grand Gedeh and Montserrado Counties, respectively. we are happy that you have identified with us once more, and we hope that you continue this collaboration and corporation so that we can make Liberia’s health system better.”
If the country is to be declared free of Coronavirus pandemic, the Health Minister believes it needs more consolidated efforts from the public, despite the uncomfortable conditions associated with the health protocols instituted by the Government. These are all startling measures that are associated with this pandemic which the public should continue to abide by for their safety and the safety of others. Let’s keep following all of the preventive measures being instituted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Liberian government, the Ministry’s statement quoted Dr. Jallah.
The Minister used the occasion to also thank the PIH for the donation and emphasized the importance for others to follow suit; to enhance government efforts to provide accessibly and quality health delivery for the Liberian populace, which is a primary goal of the Ministry.
Earlier, Partners In Health Director of Policy and Partnership Ashley Damewood, while handing over the donation to the Ministry, extolled Dr. Jallah for her shrewd leadership role-play during these difficult times logged in the history of the Country. “Minister Jallah, on behalf of Partners In Health’s leadership team, I want to appreciate you for your tireless contribution to serving the people of Liberia. We are so grateful for the continued partnership, and I am proud to present this on behalf of my team. Thank you again for your strong leadership in these difficult times,” she added.
Ashley Damewood said: “We are striving to establish a model campaign for Universal Health coverage—which means we should be able to reach every patient, every case, and contact. And the key to our strategy is helping the Ministry diagnose testing, and we have brought some critical supplies that are needed at the national Reference Lab. It is also our way of contributing and participating in the IMS structure. We worked with our global teams to mobilize these resources, and I hope that this will enhance cordial testing to prevent transmission of Covid-19 in Liberia.”
The PIH’s donation is aimed at supporting the Incident Management System’s pillars in most testing strategy which will enhance diagnostic and general contact tracing across the country.
Signed:_______________________________________________
Felecia Gbesioh
Director of Communication