President Joseph Boakai over the week launched the Global Fund US$ 117, 546, 670 million investment in the health sector to fight against HIV, TB and Malaria and Resilient System Strengthening for Health (RSSH).
The grant which will be implemented over three years (2024-2027) intends increase resources to fight three of the world’s most devastating diseases, and to direct resources to areas of greatest need in health systems.”
During the launch, the Liberian President emphasized his leadership commitment to domestic resources mobilization for health, ensuring co-financing commitments are realized and zero tolerance for corruption in the sector.
“This is a great milestone for Liberia and our collective resolved as people towards ensuring local ownership, leadership and commitment to the health of our people and our nation at large” the president added.
He furthered that the grant provides an innovative partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector, NGOs, and international agencies including people affected by AIDS, TB & Malaria
The principal recipients of the grant are Plan International and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in partnership with Ministry of Health.
Making presentations on behave of the Liberia Coordinating Mechanism (LCM), Madam Joyce Kilikpo, the chair the LCM said once allocations are made to each country, the LCM coordinate with stakeholder on behalf of the country beginning with a Nationwide Country Dialogue to development, finalization and submission of the country’s proposal for approval by the Global Fund.
She added that currently, Liberia is implementing The Global Fund Liberia Grant Cycle (GC) 7 which comprises of two active grants across 2 allocation periods with a portfolio of US$93 Million, emphasizing that first Grant with a total of US$10 million ran from January 2021 to December 2023 and was implemented by the Ministry of Health and PLAN International however that grant was extended from January to December 2024 with additional 24 million allocated making the total grant 34 million
The Liberia Country Mechanism Chair revealed that the grant will not only focus on the procurement of all HIV and TB test kits, but also provide extensive support for the national supply chain systems, the pprocurement of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) for the entire population. It will also look at Surveillance, Supply Chain & Waste Management, Emergency Critical Cares/Oxygen and Laboratory.
According to Madam Kilikpo, the grant will include support for the Community Health Assistant (CHA) Programs in 8 counties that account for 45% of the CHA rural population as first-line health respondents.
“This ssupport will go to community and facility TB case findings, testing, adherence and awareness across the 15 counties improving laboratory systems strengthening across the 15 counties’ public referral labs, pprocurement, construction and solarisation of 4 additional regional oxygen plants in Liberia to support all the oxygen needs during health emergency indicating that the plants to be situated in Lofa, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, and Grand Kru Counties,” she expanded
The Global Fund is an innovative financing mechanism that brings together government, civil society, international development partners and affected communities to collectively mobilize resources towards addressing the 3 diseases and strengthening health system.
The Fund does not have an in country presence but work through a multi- stakeholder platform called the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) and in Liberia it is called the Liberia Coordinating Mechanism (LCM).
The LCM leads the development and submission of proposal for the country in partnership with the government through the Global Fund while the LCM also provides oversight for the implementation of the grant as well.
