(Grand Bassa County, March 26, 2025) –The National Community Health Program of the Ministry of Health, with support from Last Mile Health, hosted a two-day retreat for Community Health Services Supervisors (CHSS) and District Health Officers (DHOS) in Grand Bassa County from March 25-26, 2025. The retreat was held in the port city of Buchanan, with a focus on evaluating the program’s achievements, identifying challenges, and exploring strategies for improving community health services across Liberia.
During the gathering, Dr. Jude Whesseh, Grand Bassa County Health Officer (CHO), raised issues such as maternal mortality, referral processes, holistic supervision, sanitation, rebuilding confidence in community health workers, and the significance of clinical practice and service delivery. The CHO underscored the importance of effective communication and professional discipline in enhancing healthcare outcomes in rural and underserved communities.
Ms. Nyonblee R. Topayoun, a CHSS from Bokay Town Clinic, Owensgrove district in Grand Bassa County, shared insights from the discussions, stating that the retreat was an opportunity to reflect on past efforts and address weaknesses. “We have come to look at challenges, gains, and ways forward regarding what we have been doing throughout the years, we’ve learned a whole lot concerning our work, our responsibilities, and the impact of our services in the community. We also addressed past mistakes and discussed strategies to improve supervision and engagement,” she noted. Participants engaged in discussions on strengthening supervision methods and improving healthcare delivery at the grassroots level.
Another participant, Anthony Temgbeh, a CHSS from Tubmanville Clinic, Buchanan District, highlighted key takeaways from the retreat. He noted that the program provided valuable lessons on the roles and responsibilities of community health workers. Anthony pledged to implement the lessons learned by enhancing community collaboration and strengthening healthcare systems. Many expressed their commitment to ensuring that the knowledge gained translates into practical solutions that improve service delivery.