H.E. Madam Weah Donates Vehicle To Suehn Mecca Health Center

(October 19, 2021, Monrovia, Liberia)—the Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah on Monday, October 19, 202,  received a brand-new JAC jeep from Liberia’s first Lady H.E. Madam Clar Marie Duncan Weah in fulfillment of her Commitment during the 2021 Presidential Tour in Bomi County, to the Suehn Mecca Health Center.

Dr. Jallah, fully attired in dominant blue suit—beamed with unending smiles occasioned by overwhelming enthusiasm, which inspired hard work—moved to the podium to receive the vehicle’s keys.

Upon receiving the vehicle on behalf of the Ministry of Health for further handing over to the Bomi County Health Team, the Health Minister thanked the First Lady for the donation; expressing that it would address pressing health needs in Bomi County and its surroundings.

Earlier, while speaking during a brief presentation ceremony at the Health Ministry in Congo Town, First Lady Clar Weah said she was moved by the exemplary work being done by health workers in Suehn Mecca amid the tedious challenges as explained by Senator Snowe during the President’s visit there.

As a champion against maternal and neonatal mortality, the Liberian First Lady recalled that she was particularly attracted to how caregivers in the midwifery section of the health center ‘walked distances or commuted on motor bikes to perform delivery and other related services.’

“I noted with heavy heart as Senator Snowe singled out a midwife by the name Mrs. Sando M.S. Cole, who is the Supervisor of the Reproductive Health Services, and how she makes extra sacrifices to save the lives of precious young Liberians, some of whom could be the next Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, Engineers or maybe the future Presidents,” said Mrs. Weah.

“Being a health practitioner myself and most importantly as a mother, I was troubled in my spirit and was moved, without a second thought, to do something. 

“Today, in fulfillment of that commitment, I have come to donate to the Suehn-Mecca Health Center a brand new JAC Jeep, which will be used to ease movement to hard-to-reach places in the County and support the work of the facility,” asserted Mrs. Weah.

Meanwhile, the Liberian First Lady expressed profound gratitude to health workers across the country for their commitment to saving precious lives, while praising the exemplary leadership of Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah and Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe.

Also speaking, Senator Snowe welcomed Mrs. Weah’s gesture to the Bomi County Health System and pledged his commitment to work with her in various ways to improve the lives of Liberians especially the less fortunate.

In addition to the vehicle, the First Lady presented 500 United States Dollars to Mrs. Sando Cole as a personal token of appreciation for her hard work and dedication to the health sector.

Mrs. Cole along with Bomi County Health Officer Dr. Siana Jackson and other members of the health team was also grateful to the Liberian First Lady.

Finally, the turnover ceremony was graced by First Lady Clar Weah, Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, Deputy Minister Norwu Howard; Dr. Siana Jackson, Bomi County Health Officer, Sando Cole, among others.

 Signed:___________________________

            Felecia Gbesioh             Director of Communications, MOH, RL

MoH Observes World Eye Sight Day

(Saturday, October 16, 2021, Todee, District)—the Ministry of Health through the National Eyes Health Program on Saturday, October 16, 2021, joined global partners to observe World Eye Sight Day.

World Sight Day is an international day of awareness, held annually on the second Thursday of October, to focus attention on the global issue of eye health, with a theme: “Love Your Eyes”.

In fulfilment of this historic occasion, earlier awareness was created in Todee District, rural Montserrado County. People living blindness or having eye sight issues were assembled at the Nyehn Health Center to receive free screenings and medical.

This year awareness is more important than ever as recently researchers have found a rise in nearsightedness in children during home confinement due to the pandemic. To help you access important educational information, we’ve put together a collection of resources that can be used individually.

“World Sight Day, observed annually on the second Thursday of October, is a global event meant to draw attention on blindness and vision impairment,” Dr Joseph Kerkulah, Director, National Eye Health Program at the Ministry of Health. “This year World Sight Day was observed on October 14 globally, but we decided to push it to this day (Saturday) to enable our people to fairly be a part of the process—the free eye screening you see our nurses and medical experts are carrying out here. Reduced or absent eyesight can have major and long-lasting effects on all aspects of life, including daily personal activities, interacting with the community, school and work opportunities and the ability to access public services.”

Several persons who went to the Nyehn Health Center expressed on how it takes to have or experience reduced eyesight which is reportedly caused by several factors, including diseases like diabetes and trachoma, trauma to the eyes, or conditions such as refractive error, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration or glaucoma.

“my eyes have been giving me hard time since 20 years ago. It started in 2000 when I was laying down after burning my cold; and while I eyes were opened, something dropped in my left eye. Since then, I have been experiencing little problem. But now, I barely read without eye glasses”, Eric Frederick, 55, a resident of Dogbah-Lon Ton, explained his ordeal.

Lions Clubs International partnered with blindness prevention organizations worldwide to commemorate the first World Sight Day on October 8, 1998. This event was later integrated into VISION 2020, a global initiative that the IAPB coordinates.

This year celebration is a joint program organized by the Ministry of Health, Lions club International, LV Prasad Eye Institute, EyeIliance, Sight Saver, Samaritan’s Purse and OneSight.

Dr. Jallah Hails Samaritan’s Purse, Partners for Supporting Liberia’s Health Sector

(October 15, 2021, Congo Town, Monrovia, Liberia)—Liberia’s Health Minister, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, has hailed Samaritan’s Purse International for supporting and immediately intervening in the delivery of an emergency stock of oxytocin drugs to River Gee and Grand Gedeh Counties, respectively.

Earlier, the Fixed Amount Reimbursement Agreement Project (FARA) initiated the distribution of about 700 virals of oxytocin but was unable to complete the delivery due to the poor road connectivity in the Southeastern region of the Country, which led to FARA’s vehicles stocking mud while transporting the consignments to those Counties for onward distribution to health facilities in the region.

Since 2010, Samaritan’s Purse International has been working with the government of Liberia to provide health services to rural Liberians, first in the basic package of health services (BPHS) program, and now in the essential package of health services (EPHS) program.

During these periods, the Christian Organization has played key roles in mentoring health facility staff in the supervision of Community Health Workers (CHWs), supporting the professional development of CHWs and facilitating the development of positive relationships between communities and the health facilities.

Giving the supportive activities being initiated by Samaritan’s Purse coupled with commitment and dedication to the nation’s health sector, especially during these difficult times of global pandemic, such a partnership must be appreciated and embraced by all.

Meanwhile, Dr Jallah has also extolled both local and international partners for always being committed and supportive to provision of quality health care services delivery to the public in general.

Signed: __________________________

             Felecia Gbesioh

             Director of Communications/MOH/RL