By Lincoln G. Peters
Deputy Health Minister Madam Norwu Howard has boasted that Liberia has a resilient health sector to combat and defeat any public health emergency here.
Officially opening the National COVID-19 Transitional Plan Validation brainstorming session Thursday, 20 July 2023, Madam Howard said from the lesson that Liberia has learned from both the Ebola and COVID-19 crises, the country is prepared to respond to any health emergency.
“With the support of our partners, especially the World Health Organization (WHO), we can boast of a reliant health sector,” she said.
“We have learned and documented a lot from COVID-19. We have developed the capacity of our health workers in responding to public health emergencies and outbreaks, therefore, I believe we have a resilient health sector, ” she stated further.
The WHO and the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health on Thursday embarked on a two-day brainstorming session on National COVID-19 Transitional Plan Validation.
The meeting seeks to end the COVID-19 emergency response phase and transition to sustainable and long-term disease management.
The goal of the National COVID-19 Transitional Plan Validation brainstorming session is to build a resilient health system and community to respond to COVID-19 and other public health emergencies with minimum disruption to essential health services.
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Expanding on the importance of the two-day gathering, Minister Howard pointed out that the transitional plan will be around achieving zero COVID-19 deaths.
Now that the country knows better, she said there is an opportunity to do better.
She further indicated that the gathering will help them ensure that they have access to testing, treatment, equipment, and supplies that Liberia needs to take care of the uninsured and people in the hard-to-reach community.
Also, Minister Howard pointed out that the National COVID-19 Transitional Plan Validation meeting will help to maximize the use of the government’s and partners’ resources to ensure that they have the equipment, materials, and readiness to maintain the persistent use of readiness.
“This Plan will hopefully integrate COVID-19 into regular operation by institutionalizing drains, services that will help keep health workers and community sensitized and prepared.”
WHO Emergency Preparedness Response Team Lead Dr. Julius Monday expressed excitement over the validation session.
“I want to thank you for this milestone achievement. If we don’t plan, everything that we are planning is useless,” he said.
