By Linus Flomo
/BASSA
Grand Bassa County has made history in Liberia to graduate ‘Master Trainers’ for syphilis screenings, marking a significant milestone in the fight against HIV and syphilis.
The certification ceremony, held in the port city of Buchanan, was led by the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) of the Ministry of Health, with support from Evidence Action.
The newly certified trainers will play a key role in rolling out HIV/syphilis dual testing for pregnant women and their partners, strengthening national efforts to eliminate both infections.
The dual test replaces the HIV-only screening previously used in antenatal care (ANC) facilities, ensuring that syphilis testing rates match those of HIV.
As part of the program, healthcare teams conducted onsite training sessions across all ANC and HIV testing facilities in Grand Bassa.
The initiative aligns with the National AIDS Control Program’s objective of achieving 80% testing and treatment coverage among prenatal care attendees within the next five years.
Speaking at the event, Stephen E. James, of the Community Health Department commended Evidence Action for its continued support in the fight against syphilis and HIV.
“We are very excited about the steps taken by Evidence Action to support Grand Bassa County,” James said. “Not only did they fulfill their promise of providing syphilis testing for pregnant women, but they also trained two of our staff members as Master Trainers. Since the training, Grand Bassa has been performing exceptionally well in the testing program, and for that, I appreciate your efforts.”
In recognition of its outstanding performance, Grand Bassa County received a national certification for achieving 100% syphilis screening coverage and 99% treatment coverage among trained healthcare facilities.
The county reported no stockouts of dual tests, ensuring continuous access to testing for pregnant women.
The Ministry of Health has pledged to integrate syphilis testing into routine healthcare services and is working to incorporate syphilis indicators into the Joint Integrated Supportive Supervision (JISS) tool for ongoing monitoring.
With Grand Bassa setting the pace, health authorities are optimistic that Liberia can make significant strides in eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis nationwide.
Bassa Leads Liberia In Syphilis Screening …As Healthcare Workers Graduate From Nat’l Program
