By Precious D. Freeman
With support from the African Population and Health Research Center, Sister Aid Liberia, has engaged in a crucial dialogue with Liberia’s Joint Health Committee in the Legislature, marking a significant step forward in the review of the Public Health Bill.
The Chair of the Senate Health Committee, Senator Dabah M. Varpilah, has committed to ensuring that the bill receives the necessary attention in the Senate, with inputs from civil society organizations and health professionals.
This development follows a comprehensive assessment visit by the Joint Health Committee to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital on January 31, 2025.
The visit aimed to evaluate the operational status of Liberia’s largest referral hospital and identify urgent areas needing interventions.
During the tour, led by the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Linda Birch, committee members observed critical shortages in medical equipment and resources, posing significant challenges to patient care.
Among the hospital’s pressing needs are a 1000kva standby generator, a CT scan machine, ultrasound machines, and other essential medical equipment.
Dr. Birch emphasized the importance of increased budgetary support to address these deficiencies, particularly in maternal healthcare services.
Sister Aid Liberia was the only civil society organization present during the visit and played a key role in highlighting the hospital’s urgent needs.
The Joint Health Committee, led by Senator Varpilah, then pledged to strengthen collaboration with the hospital and urged its administration to identify key projects for annual implementation.
However, discussions surrounding the Public Health Bill revealed that the abortion component has become a contentious issue, potentially delaying its progress.
Senator Varpilah acknowledged that while abortion is only a small part of the bill, the controversy surrounding it may be overshadowing its broader objectives.
She stressed the need for a balanced and inclusive approach to address concerns while maintaining focus on improving public health infrastructure and services.
The chair of the House Health Committee, Representative Julie Fatorma Wiah, emphasized that the bill covers a wide range of pressing health issues beyond abortion, including preparedness for emerging diseases such as Ebola, Marburg, and COVID-19.
She highlighted the importance of ensuring Liberia’s healthcare system is equipped to handle future health crises.
The acting Executive Director of Sister Aid Liberia, Amelia Siaffa, welcomed Senator Varpilah’s openness to dialogue with civil society organizations.
She emphasized that continued engagement between lawmakers and organizations like Sister Aid Liberia is essential to shaping a bill that truly serves the needs of Liberians.
Siaffa also underscored the need to focus on the bill’s overall benefits rather than allowing one controversial clause to derail progress.
“The commitment to bring health workers together to revisit the bill is a positive step, as it shows a willingness to include all relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process,” Siaffa said.
The Public Health Bill, originally submitted by President George Weah in February 2020, seeks to integrate separate health laws and address both current and future healthcare challenges in Liberia.
The House of Representatives passed the bill on July 21, 2022, forwarding it to the Senate for concurrence.
In a significant move, Senator Varpilah has committed to calling a public hearing to determine the fate of the draft bill.
This hearing is expected to provide a platform for all stakeholders, including civil society organizations, health professionals, and lawmakers, to discuss the bill’s provisions and chart a way forward for Liberia’s public health sector.
As deliberations continue, stakeholders remain hopeful that a collaborative approach will ensure the bill’s passage in a way that strengthens Liberia’s healthcare system while addressing public concerns.
