(Congo Town, Monrovia, January 22, 2021)—The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health (MOH) has begun the process of reviewing and developing its current community Health Assistant (CHA) program and strategic plan (2016-2021).
The current CHA program policy and strategic plan, which is expected to expire in June 2021, will pave the way for the on-going revision of the 10-year curriculum.
The first stakeholders’ engagement meeting leading to the formulation of seven (7) thematic groupings was held on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 in Careysburg, Lower Montserrado County.
The review process is aimed at strengthening the formulization and institutionalization of the community Health Assistant program that will continue to provide quality primary healthcare services to nursing program which will provide basic health promotion and healthcare activities to people living within the reach of the nearest Health facilities and urban communities.
“Today, we brought together key divisions and programs at the Ministry of Health including some key implementing partners as well as stakeholders to initiate and to fund technical working groups into thematic areas.
“We have been able to establish seven (7) thematic groups ranging from governance, leadership and community engagement; human resource for health; service delivery supply chain management; logistic, supervision and training; community base information System and Health Financing”, Olasford Wiah, Director of community Health Services Division, explained during the opening of the one-day long meeting.
“The intent of this is for each thematic group to review the existence policies and innovation that we had have over the past years—lessons learned. Those thematic groups will come up with a clear situational analysis, develop recommendation for the new policy and strategy.
“First, the policy has been able to develop recommendation of the strategy. So this thematic group will look at this through and develop the policy and strategy so the current strategy we worked out will be expiring this June, 2021. This means that we have to develop a new policy and strategy before the end of June.”
Commenting further on the official launching of the new curriculum, Director Wiah revealed that upon completing the document, the MOH and its partners will officially launch it (document) in November of this year at an international symposium in Liberia.
“We are expected to launch this new curriculum roadmap in November of 2021 at the International symposium that will be held here in Liberia”
The new curriculum formation is being supported and implemented by various organizations including World Bank, Global Fund, Samaritan’s Purse, IRC, and partners in Health.
Other supporting and implementing organizations are USAID, Last Mile Health, and others.
The orientation meeting gathered health stakeholders, Ministers, Programs and Divisions Heads of the Ministry of Health; Representatives from World Bank, World Health Organization, Samaritan’s Purse, etc.
Signed: ______________________________________
Felecia Gbesioh
Director of Communication, MOH