By Bill W. Cooper
Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has underscored the need for government and partners to prioritize funding for healthcare through the community health workforce programs, nationally and globally.
She maintained would enable more mothers to have safe deliveries, more children to live past their 5th birthday, and that malaria, typhoid and other preventable diseases can become a thing of the past.
“I stand before you today as a daughter of strong healthcare workers; who went beyond the call of duty to help save lives of many, especially babies under years old. As a child, many would come to our small clinic but what baffles me the most is the fact that these patients were unable to pay for services rendered,” she said.
According to her, struggling mothers would often bring chickens and other farm produce as a form of payment, smoothing she lamented that even up to date is still happening and that some Liberians are unable to pay for life-saving treatment for their sick children and other relatives.
“So, it is time that we as government must commit to putting our resources into services that are prepared to protect the vulnerable, improve healthcare and educational outcomes as well as open up possibilities for National chances of achieving Universal Health Coverage,” the VP stated.
Madam Taylor spoke Wednesday, March 22, 2023 in a special statement at the official start of the 3rd International Community Health Workers (CHW) Symposium hosted by the Ministry of Health (MoH), at the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town.
However, the conference which started with a pre-conference on Monday, March 20, 2023 is intended to provide an opportunity for advocacy for the host country and other nations for investment into its Community Health Program and the health system.
The symposium brought face-to-face over 40 different countries worldwide with 600 delegates under the theme, “Advancing Community Health Worker Programs to Build Resilient and Equitable Health Systems that Accelerate Primary Health Care for Universal Health Coverage.”
She indicated, “So, it is an obligation on our part as national and international stakeholders to respond to the needs of our people by ensuring the provision of healthcare at all levels, as priority number one.”
“And it is my prayer that we will continue to walk the last mile until no one is left behind here in Liberia and across the world at large,” VP Taylor added.
Earlier, Health Minister Wilhelmina Jallah thanked community health workers for their immense and invaluable services rendered to improving the country’s healthcare services.
Minster Jallah, among other things, stated that through the support of community healthcare workers, maternity modality rate and malaria prevalence among children have significantly reduced across Liberia.
The country’s Health also used the community healthcare workers to continue being the frontline soldiers to help in curbing health emergency to build vibrant health resilient across the country.
Officially launching the symposium on behalf of President George M. Weah, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Blamo Wesseh, commended healthcare workers for the continuous and immense sacrifices they continue to make in providing the necessary healthcare service for the citizenry.
He also called for the Ministry of Health and partners to ensure that community healthcare workers are prioritized through various programs intended to help boost their capacity aimed at buttressing government’s effort for the revamping of the country’s health system.