By Naneka A. Hoffman
The Ministry of Health has launched the Guidelines for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Health Professionals in Liberia.
The Ministry launched the CPD in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), USAID, the University of Liberia College of Health Sciences (ULCHS) through the BRIDGE -U: Liberia Project, and other partners.
The CPD program aims to upgrade healthcare professionals’ knowledge and skills and improve healthcare delivery quality, essential for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
The CPD program includes various learning activities that can be delivered through face-to-face, online or hybrid formats.Â
All health professionals registered with the health professions boards are required to undertake CPD to renew their practice licenses based on the respective board timelines for renewal.
The six health professions boards responsible for enacting these guidelines are the Liberia Medical and Dental Council, the Liberian Board for Nursing and Midwifery, the Liberia Pharmacy Board, and the Board of Accreditation and Licensure of Medical Laboratory Technology.
Dr. Francis Kateh, Chief Medical Officer of Liberia, launched the document on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah. He emphasized that the CPD program is not just a document but a critical mechanism that needs to be implemented to improve healthcare quality.
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Dr. Kateh explained that the profession they have chosen is not static, but it is evolving and professionals need to study all of the time so that they can be on top of things.
“And this is why today we talk about patient centered-care because patient centered-care is to provide you the best that is available at the time,” he said.
Dean of the Medical School, Dr. Ezekiel F. Hallie, extended special thanks to BRIDGE: U-Liberia for supporting the initiative.
LMDC Chairperson, Dr. Benetta Collins Andrews, assured everyone that these guidelines would be implemented to improve health services.
Registrar General/CEO of Liberia Pharmacy Board, Menmen P.Z. Durah, expressed excitement about the initiative and thanked the partners crafting the guidelines. Secretary-General of the Liberia Environmental Health Board, Mr. Dave Wuo Kenel, Jr., noted that the purpose of the national guideline is to promote and regulate CPD to improve the quality of health services.
