Dr. Jallah Receives VP Jalloh

(October 26, 2021, Congo Town, Monrovia, Liberia)—Liberia’s Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah along with team of officials at the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, received a huge entourage headed by the Republic of Sierra Leone Vice President Mohammed Juldeh Jalloh.

The Sierra Leonean Vice President told Dr. Jallah and her Technicians that their visit to the Ministry was met to get firsthand information on how Liberia’s Health System is managed; and henceforth, build future bilateral relations that would enhance the provision of quality health services between the two Mano River Nations.

“Madam Minister, I supposed to be here with my health advisor, but I am sorry she’s on different assignments. Anyway, we have purposely come to get information on hospital management and its decentralization in Liberia’s. Because we have almost met the threshold of the Abuja Declaration, which calls for African Union Countries to allocate at least 15% of annual budget to improve the Health Sector.

“As we approach 2023, our government has allocated much to the health Sector with still little improvements in areas, which need urgent attention,” VP Jalloh told the gathering.

However, disclosing to the Sierra Leonean VP and his entourage, Dr Jallah assessed the country’s health administrative structure from decentralization to its complimentary components that are responsible for the day-to-day affairs of various health facilities’ functions across the Country.

“Mr Vice President, I want to say you are wholeheartedly welcome to visit us at the Ministry of Health. However, our health system is structure in the way that the County Health Officers are trained to manage our hospitals across the nation”, Dr. Jallah in a brief remark.

In the context of overseeing health administrators to provide effective and efficient management of medical centers, managing clinical operations, liaising between the administration and medical staff, and ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of medical care, Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Francis Kateh told the visiting guests that the health system is annexed in three tiers of care – primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Placing emphasis on the primary health system, Dr Kateh said this strategy was designed to get community dwellers in the health care delivery system by recruiting them to serve as primary health care providers in their respective communities, giving that almost two-thirds of Liberian households are located outside of facility locations.

“This necessitated a different approach to bridge the gap between available workforce and local health and service delivery needs. Consequently, the decision was made to adopt more informal methods. For example, a corps of Community Health Workers, equipped, trained, well supported, and recognized as a formal cadre within the County Health Teams would link dispersed populations to services and facilities at reasonable cost, and would form the backbone of Liberia’s rural health delivery strategy”, Dr Kateh.

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.

MOH, Partners Observe World Breastfeeding Week

(August 18, 2021, 14 Street, Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberia)—the Ministry of Health (MOH) and its partners on August 18, 2021 joined the world to observe the day commemorating celebration of World Breastfeeding Week.

The World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration held every year from August 1 to 7 in over 120 countries. The World Health Organization states breastfeeding as one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival. This year, the theme for breastfeeding week is “Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility”.

World Breastfeeding week is celebrated to encourage exclusive breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world.

Panelists sharing thoughts with participants

The history of this week-long commemoration dates back to the 1990s when the World Health Organization (         WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) created the Innocent Declaration to promote and support breastfeeding.

The elaborate program held at the Royal Grant Hotel gathered participants from diverse backgrounds, who shared thoughts and made recommendations to stakeholders within the health sector as well as legislators to ignite breastfeeding policies and social change to stop giving water to babies under six (6) months. It also provided field agents and decision makers the opportunity to catalyze much-needed policy, social, institutional, community and family dialogue and change geared towards improving breastfeeding rates in Liberia.  Seeing exclusive breastfeeding as a public health priority to improve the health and prosperity of children and nations was among few things highlighted.

Participants at the Event

Meanwhile, the Director of Family Health Division, Madam Bentoe Z. Tehoungue said: “some of us at this age we can still calculate, reason, and even still having teeth in our mouth; and I know, it is the contribution of breastmilk. So we want to encourage those who are now having children to be able to breastfeed their children. Breastmilk is the best milk for your babies. And we all need to encourage other people who are having children today to give their children breastmilk.”

Director of Family Health Division, Madam Bentoe Z. Tehoungue

“Breastfeeding is also known as nursing. It is the best way to provide young infants with the essential nutrients required for growth and development. Breastmilk is the ideal food for infants. It is safe, clean, and acts as the babies’ first vaccines protecting them against many common childhood illnesses. I am grateful that this week-long celebration is held in my county—Montserrado”, Dr. Yatta Wapoe, County Health Officer (CHO) of Montserrado Health Team, said in remarks.

Dr. Yatta Wapoe, County Health Officer (CHO) of Montserrado Health Team

For her part, Ministry of Health’s Director of Nutrition Dr. Annette Brima-Davis said her Division is doing everything possible to increase and promote messages on breastfeeding in order to educate the public in general.

She highlighted that the overarching goal of the week-long celebration is to highlight the importance of breastfeeding, to encourage and promote exclusive breastfeeding and to improve the health of babies and mothers all across the country.

Ministry of Health’s Director of Nutrition Dr. Annette Brima-Davis

“Breastfeeding promote better health for mothers and children alike. Breastfeeding decreases the risk of mothers developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and health diseased breastfeeding could avert 20,000 maternal deaths each year due to breast cancer,” she highlighted.

 “As we begin the World Breastfeeding Week celebration, my satisfaction is all greater at this event once again demonstrates our common and unwavering commitment to join forces to protect, promote and support breastfeeding for the fulfilment of every child’s right to health survival and development”, Dr. Gorbee G. Logan, Assistant Minister of Curative Health Services at the Ministry of Health, remarking on behalf of the Liberian government and the Ministry.

Dr Logan said significant efforts have been made in recent years by the government of Liberia with the support of UNICEF and partners to improve maternal and child nutrition; despite the current progress made, one-third of the children in Liberia suffer from chronic malnutrition.

Dr. Gorbee G. Logan, Assistant Minister of Curative Health Services

“Breastfeeding gives all children the healthiest start in life. Breastmilk acts as a first vaccine, stimulates brain development and protects women’s health. When a mother breastfeeds, everyone benefits. Breastfeeding leads to lower healthcare cost and healthier family, and a smarter workforce.

Today, it is sadden to know that, six out of ten babies are initiated on breastmilk within an hour of birth.  Four out of every ten babies in Liberia receives plain water, liquids and food in addition to breastmilk during their first six months of life, contributing to child malnutrition, illnesses and even death. Only 3% of children, age 6 to 23 months receive an adequate food,” he noted.

Dr. Logan said, given the theme for this year celebration ‘“Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility”, the day should engineer a collective responsibility of everyone to protect, promote and support exclusive breastfeeding to improve the survival rate and early childhood development of children.

He thanked participants as well as partners including UNICEF, Concern Worldwide, WHO, WFP, Action Against Hunger, Water Aid, and SUNCSAL for continuous support and contribution towards the country’s health sector.

Signed: ___________________________________

           Felecia Gbesioh

           Director of Communication

           Ministry of Health, R.L.

Press Statement

(August 12, 2021, Congo Town, Monrovia)—the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) attention has been drawn to a fake information circulating in the public glare concerning an individual who life was lost after being vaccinated with the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

This information is a complete fabrication and far from the truth.

The vaccine has been deemed safe by numerous regulatory bodies including the WHO and US FDA.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health wants those who are in the constant habit of spewing out fake and misleading information about the vaccines to desist.

However, the Ministry is encouraging all those who have not been vaccinated to take advantage of the ongoing J&J immunization process, as we await the arrival of the second doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccines. Those eligible for the J&J Vaccines are only those who have not taken the AstraZeneca Vaccines.

.

Signed: _________________________________________

            Felecia Gbesioh

           Director of Communication

           Ministry of Health, R.L

MOH, Partners To Observe World Breastfeeding Day

(August 12, 2021, Congo Town, Liberia) As part of efforts to ignite breastfeeding policies and social change to stop giving water to babies under six (6) months, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and its partners will Monday, August 18, 2021, observe World Breastfeeding Day.

The program will be held at the Royal Grand Hotel under the theme “Protect Breastfeeding a Shared Responsibility”.

The breastfeeding week celebration aims to catalyze much-needed policy, social, institutional, community and family dialogue and change geared towards improving breastfeeding rates in Liberia. It calls on governments, partners and businesses in Liberia to take action and position exclusive breastfeeding as a public health priority to improve the health and prosperity of children and nations.

Meanwhile, the celebration is also expected to call on stakeholders, partners, businesses, communities and families to ensuring mothers get the protection and support they need to give their babies the best start in life.

Five out of every 10 babies in Liberia receive plain water, other liquids and foods in addition to breastmilk during their first six months of life, contributing to child malnutrition, illnesses and even death.

 “Having a comprehensive national strategy that protects, promotes and supports breastfeeding is the most effective way to influence the environmental, social, economic and behavioral factors that influence a mother’s decision to feed a child breastmilk only in the first six months of life,” Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, Minister of Health in Liberia.

For babies under six months to stay healthy, scientific evidence recommends giving them breastmilk only and on demand (day and night). No water, other liquids or foods should be given from the moment of birth until they reach six months of life, even in hot and dry climates, as breastmilk contains all the water and nutrients a baby needs to grow well.

Breastfeeding also has significant benefits for mothers by hastening recovery after childbirth, delaying the return of the menstrual cycle thus helping with birth spacing, and reducing the risk of cancer.

The costs of not breastfeeding are enormous: in addition to thousands of preventable deaths of children, it costs Liberia US$200,000 dollars annually to treat children with diarrhoea and pneumonia and type II diabetes in mothers that visit health facilities due to inadequate breastfeeding. Liberia stands to lose more than US$14 million a year due to future cognitive losses associated with not breastfeeding.

“Breastfeeding is a team effort, governments, families, religious and community leaders, need to consistently advocate for increased maternity and respect for breastfeeding by employers including those in the private sector, and for the establishment of clean and secure spaces near workplaces where breastfeeding mothers can breastfeed,” said Laila Omar, UNICEF Representative in Liberia.

Signed: ___________________________________

           Felecia Gbesioh

           Director of Communication

           Ministry of Health, R.L.

Message on the occasion of the 34th WAHO Day by Professor Stanley OKOLO, Director General of WAHO

Today 9 July 2021, the West Africa Health Organization commemorates 34 years of its existence, of which the past 18 months was the most challenging. As in other parts of the world, the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating health, social and economic impact on the population of West Africa. Since its inception, WAHO has worked closely with the 15 Ministries of Health of ECOWAS Member States, the Africa Regional Office of WHO and all key stakeholders, including more recently the Africa Centre for Disease Control, to drive its mandate of safeguarding and improving the health of the region’s citizens.

And despite recurrent disease outbreaks and epidemics that have challenged the fragile health systems in our region, WAHO has championed several health improvement programs including projects on reducing the number of women dying during childbirth and the number of children dying before the age of 5 years; projects on increasing local manufacture of high quality drugs; and projects on strengthening the region’s disease surveillance, preparedness and response architecture to ensure that infectious disease outbreaks are detected early and responded to robustly.

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, WAHO has led the regional response efforts by facilitating coordination, collaboration and communication between Member States and between the region and international partners. We have provided over 100,000kg of critically needed medical materials such as laboratory diagnostic equipment and reagents, personal protective equipment (PPEs), and respiratory ventilators, to support Member States in their national efforts. Over 3000 healthcare personnel have been trained in various skills required for the COVID-19 response efforts in addition to targeted financial support to help Member States in specific areas of need, such as engagement of contact tracers or public health rapid response teams, or purchase of necessary equipment for surveillance or diagnosis.

As we mark this year’s WAHO Day therefore, it is important that we remember all our citizens that have died in the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially healthcare workers that have paid the ultimate price with their lives whilst at the forefront of the response to this devastating pandemic. May the souls of all the departed rest in perfect peace.

Today also offers us the opportunity to reflect on the continuing challenges we face in trying to improve the health of the region’s population. One lesson of the devastating 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic in our region was the need for an agency under WAHO dedicated specifically to surveillance, preparation and response to the recurrent epidemics in the region. Five years after the establishment of the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (ECOWAS RCSDC) it is an issue of personal regret that the centre is not yet fully operational due to bureaucratic delays in the long running ECOWAS Institutional Reform program. WAHO therefore continues to lead the region’s health security agenda in addition to all the other burning health issues, such as malaria, non-communicable diseases, regional production of quality medicines, and universal health coverage.

Although the region has fared much better than predicted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the weaknesses in our health systems have been exposed, including weaknesses in infrastructure, human resources, and laboratory capacity, in addition to deficits in the levels of community engagement required for effective disease control. Governments and stakeholders must therefore resolve to strengthen national health systems, and to rebuild trust with our populations without whom public health measures will fail. It is within our power as individuals and groups to control this pandemic through social behavioral change, whilst we await availability of sufficient vaccine doses through international collaboration and ongoing discussions on establishing vaccine manufacturing facilities in the region.

WAHO is extremely grateful for the support of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS Member States, the Ministers of Health, and of our international partners as we continue in solidarity on the march to regional integration through health. We still have a lot of work to do, but I believe that working together, we will succeed.

Long live ECOWAS. Long live WAHO. Long live Regional Integration.

Footnote

The West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) was established in 1987 but became fully operational in 2000 when the first Director General was appointed. Over the years, WAHO has evolved to become a regional leader in health as it continues to deliver on its mandate as the Health Institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

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

MOH Hails President Weah for Appointing Sorbor George

(June 16, 2021, Monrovia, Liberia)—the Ministry of Health is thrilled by the news of the appointment of its senior media consultant, Sorbor George on Monday, June 14, 2021, as Deputy Director General for Broadcasting at the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS).

Prior to his nomination by the President, Mr George has served in several senior management positions at the Ministry, ranging from Communications Director and later elevated as Senior Media Consultant.

Furthermore, the Ministry is well pleased to commend its now former staff for the invaluable services rendered to the Liberian Government through the ministry over the years.

In his new capacity at the state broadcaster, the ministry wishes to use this medium to encourage its former employee to replicate the same level of dedication he exhibited while in its employ.

Signed: ___________________________

           Felecia Gbesioh

           Director of Communications

           Ministry of Health