The Ministry of Health (MOH), through the National Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries (NCDI) Unit, with support from the IECD TREND Project, successfully conducted a comprehensive training on the World Health Organization Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions (WHO-PEN) for primary healthcare workers in Bomi County.
The training was delivered in two cohorts, bringing together more than 40 healthcare workers from ten primary healthcare facilities across the county. The initiative forms part of the Ministry of Health’s national strategy to strengthen the prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of Non-Communicable Diseases (NDCs) at the primary healthcare level.
The capacity-building program equipped participants with the practical knowledge and clinical skills needed to provide standardized, evidence-based care for diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and other priority NCDs using the WHO-PEN protocols. Participants received hands-on training in patient assessment, cardiovascular risk stratification, lifestyle counseling, diagnosis, treatment, referral pathways, follow-up care, and accurate documentation and reporting.
The training was facilitated by county-level trainers and monitored by national supervisors from the Ministry of Health’s NCDI Unit. Training sessions combined interactive lectures, case studies, clinical demonstrations, role-plays, group discussions, and practical exercises to strengthen participants’ competence and confidence in delivering quality NCD services in resource-limited primary healthcare settings.
Speaking during the training, Mrs. Jamesetta Teewon Smith, Director of the National NCDI Program at the Ministry of Health, reaffirmed the Government of Liberia’s commitment to integrating quality NCD services into primary healthcare as part of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). She encouraged participants to apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills to improve patient outcomes and strengthen community-based prevention, early detection, and management of noncommunicable diseases.
Representing the IECD TREND Project, Dr. Anthony M. Tucker, Project Manager, reaffirmed the project’s commitment to supporting the Ministry of Health in strengthening Liberia’s health system through healthcare workforce development, improved service delivery, and expanded access to quality NCD services across the country.
At the close of the training, participants expressed sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Health, the NCDI Unit, and the IECD TREND Project for the opportunity to enhance their professional competencies. They pledged to implement the WHO-PEN guidelines in their respective health facilities and serve as champions for quality NCD prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management within their communities.
For her part, Dr. Annette Brima-Davis, County Health Officer of Bomi County, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Health and the NCDI Unit for selecting Bomi County as one of the implementation sites for the WHO-PEN project. She encouraged participants to maximize the opportunity by applying the knowledge and skills gained to improve the quality of care provided to their patients. Dr. Brima-Davis also appealed to the Ministry of Health and the IECD TREND Project to expand similar capacity-building opportunities to additional healthcare workers across the county, noting that the burden of noncommunicable diseases continues to increase in both Bomi County and Liberia as a whole.
The successful implementation of the WHO-PEN training in Bomi County marks another important milestone in Liberia’s efforts to decentralize quality NCD services and ensure that essential prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of common noncommunicable diseases are available and accessible at the primary healthcare level. The initiative underscores the Ministry of Health’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare and advancing Universal Health Coverage through the nationwide implementation of the WHO-PEN approach.