Trump promises more support for Liberia

The United States Health Secretary Dr. Tom Price says the Donald Trump Administration is committed to working with Liberia to address there maining challenges in Liberia’s recovery programs from the devastating Ebola crisis.

Dr. Price told a joint press conference with Liberia’s Health Minister Dr. Bernice Dahn on Wednesday afternoon, 17 May at the Roberts International Airport in Margibi County that the US looks forward to continuing to work side by side with Liberia to improve disease prevention, enhance laboratory services and maintain a rapid and effective disease response services here.

“Together, we have worked hand – in – hand to fight the tragedy of Ebola, and in the process have succeeded in improving the health system here in Liberia”, he says. He was addressing journalists minutes after meeting with President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf at the airport’s VIP Lounge before her departure to the United States.

Dr. Price says he and his delegation have come here to promote globalhealth security and to express the Trump Administration’s appreciationfor the great work being done here in Liberia.

The US Health Chief has expressed appreciation to President Sirleaf’ stremendous leadership and robust response to several US government agencies and other international partners during the Ebola crisis to help move Liberia to a successful containment of Ebola.

He says Liberia now has many public health systems and the resources that it didn’t have before as a result of the work done here following the Ebola response. The visiting US health official adds that these systems and the people who are now trying to use them are key to achieving lasting national health security here.

Dr. Price notes that the partnership between Liberia and the United States has been on a mutual collaboration and has had a lasting effect of stability [on] the health and well being of Americans and Liberian salike.

According to him, the US government knows that by ensuring that allpublic health systems around the world are prepared to prevent,respond and control disease outbreaks at local levels, “we” can thenreduce them at international levels.

As such, he says together, “we’re” working to improve the health system of Liberia while helping to maintain the health security of the United States and the rest of the world.

On behalf of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, he thanked Liberians for the work they are doing and for the successful partnership they have been able to build with the United States.

Dr. Price particularly thanked President Sirleaf for the opportunity he had to visit Liberia, for her hospitality and leadership, and thanked her health team, particularly Health Minister Dr. Bernice Dahn and the people of Liberia.

He also thanked thanked US Ambassador to Liberia Ms. Christian Elder and her Embassy team, the US Center for Disease Control and other US Public Health Services Staff here, saying their work to promote global health security and commitment to find and stop disease outbreaks here and around the world whether natural, accidental or deliberate, keeps Americans and others around the world safe.

Liberia’s health Minister Dr. Bernice Dahn says “The proliferation ofprojects and partnerships funded by the U.S. Government isrepresentative of rich and robust collaboration”.

Dr. Dahn says Dr. Price’s visit here marks an important point in thehistory and development of Liberia’s health system and demonstratesthe continuous support to its health agenda and the historical tiesbetween the two nations.

In reflecting on Liberia’s progress in the health sector, Dr. Dahn says the evidence on the country’s advances can be seen in the quick and effective containment of Ebola flares up experienced in early 2016 and the meningoccal septicemia outbreak that recently emerged in Sinoe County, southeastern Liberia.

By Winston W. Parley-Edited by Othello B. Garblah