President George Manneh Weah has written the House of Representatives requesting an amendment in the 1976 Public Health Law to reflect current day health realities.
According to a communication sent to the House of Representatives Tuesday, 2 June from President Weah, he indicates that he is pleased to submit to the House of Representatives for enactment of the Public Health Law of Liberia as Revised (2020).
He notes that the Title 33 Public Health Law of Liberia as adopted on 16 July 1976 has a life spanning over 42 years and does not reflect current day health realities. President Weah says the 42 – year – old Public Health Law does not address new and emerging public health challenges such as emergency treatment, discrimination and mental health.
He notes further that the antiquated law lacks regulation on nutrition, reproductive health rights, regulation of marketing of products for infants and young children, zoonotic disease, non-communicable disease, antimicrobial resistance, clinical trials and complementary and alternative medicine.
According to Mr. Weah, the intention of the new proposed Public Health Law as Revised (2020) is to address all of the challenges including collating and integrating the separate laws governing the public health system. Meanwhile the House has forwarded the communication to the Committees on Health and Judiciary to report in two weeks.
By Bridgett Milton–Edited by Winston W. Parley
