The Cummings Africa Foundation has embarked on needs assessment visits to few hospitals in Montserrado, Margibi, and Nimba Counties.
The visits come days after President George Manneh Weah welcomed opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) political leader Alexander B. Cummings’ offers to help the government curbs the spread of the coronavirus here.
“As the COVID crisis worsens with an increase in infections and several deaths being reported, I am pleased to share that the Cummings Africa Foundation will get involved to help resolve this crisis,” a statement released over the weekend revealed.
The foundation disclosed that a small team including Dr. Wede Brownell, the Country Director of the Cummings Africa Foundation, Mr. Cummings, and his Chief of Staff Atty. Moriah Yeakula paid a visit to the Fidelity Hospital on 20th Street, Sinkor, Monrovia.
“We were pleased to meet with the administrators and are grateful for their cooperation,” the statement added.
The ANC political leader warned Liberians that COVID is raging but it can be defeated “if we follow the rules and guidelines as provided by Ministry of Health.”
He urged that people must continue to wear their masks, wash their hands frequently, stay away from crowds, take the COVID tests and vaccines and go to the nearest health center when they feel sick.
He continued that just as Liberians defeated Ebola together and collectively, they can defeat COVID, saying they must stay safe, follow the rules and also pray for the country.
Recently Mr. Cummings made an international appeal for help as the coronavirus rages in Liberia and also offered to work with the government in whatever reasonable way in tackling the resurgence, which experts say, is the Delta variant.
He said the Cummings Africa Foundation is open to working with authorities at the Ministry of Health to identify urgent gaps in the national response to yield quick interventions.
Cummings in his statement made series of recommendations to the Weah administration to take siege of the health situation which include to recast the budget to provide funding for the purchase of beds, personal protective equipment (PPEs), masks, vaccines, ventilators, oxygen, and massive awareness.
Cummings also proposed the need to solicit additional support from Liberians in the diaspora and the donor community; increase the hazard pay of existing health workers and employ more health workers contact tracers and immediately close all schools and ensure the completion of the semester from home, pending the end of the crisis.
Additionally, he suggested the need to work with community leaders and community-based organizations to create awareness and help with enforcement of Government of Liberia new regulations instead of the use of paramilitary forces; and to set up a hotline where people who have families or friends with severe symptoms of COVID-19 can call for help and be linked to the nearest isolation or health center.
Following the ANC political leader’s offer, President Weah welcomed the gesture, saying he is willing to listen to and work with Mr. Cummings, void of political hindrance.
“The coronavirus is no joke…Liberians are losing their lives every day to the plague. During a national crisis of this nature and magnitude, all hands of good citizens, void of political affiliation, are required on deck,” Weah noted.
Mr. Weah recalled that he too worked with the regime of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf during the Ebola outbreak here saying, this is what citizens do.
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He added that he did the work during the Ebola crisis not because of President Sirleaf, but it was his desire to help save the lives of fellow citizens.
President Weah said if the help being offered by Cummings is without a political trace, it would go a long way in beefing up the health sector and finding a remedy to the unanticipated health crisis.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/cummings-makes-an-international-appeal/
