Liberia signs global compact

Liberia has signed the IHP+ global compact, an initiative which provides a partnership support in the health sector. The IHP is the International Health Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.

Liberia’s Health Minister, Dr. Bernice Dahn signed on behalf on the government of Liberia at a ceremony held in Washington DC at the World Bank Office Head Quarter. She has just returned.
The ceremony was attended by Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization and Dr. Tim Evans, Senior Director for the Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, at the World Bank Group.

 Health Ministry release quotes Dr. Dahn as describing the signing ceremony, a “milestone move” for Liberia.”  Dr. Dahn also recalled that ten years the country has been building and reforming its health sector with a very large amount of international support in addition to domestic resources.

She however said the coordination to ensure the support is implemented effectively is lacking which result in persistent inequalities and inefficiencies in the country’s health care delivery system. Dr. Dahn also told the gathering that Liberia already has in place some of the core systems that will enable us to have an efficient IHP+ and effective compact.

The MOH Statement also quotes Dr. Dahn as recalling that Liberia’s decision to join IHP+ was endorsed by the HSCC, the Health Sector Coordinating Committee, which is the highest policy advisory committee to the Ministry of Health, where all donor partners are members.

“This signing was also endorsed by the Cabinet and the President of Liberia has convened a special committee, chaired by the Ministry of Finance, to oversee its implementation along with other health financing reforms”. Dr. Dahn asserted.

The Liberia Health minister also see the partnership as a platform for improving efficiencies in both domestic and external developmental support to the health sector, stressing the need for mutual accountability and transparency with shared responsibility between the government and donors to ensure a sustainable health financing mechanism for the future.

For their part, Dr. Margaret Chan, the Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tim Evns, Senior Director for Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice at the World Bank Group spoke about Liberia’s strong planning in the health sector which will help guide donors and partners as they align to country system.