By Bill W. Cooper
The government of Liberia through the Montserrado County Health Team (MCHT) with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), International Rescue Committee (IRC) and others are continuing five-day community voluntary testing for residents of the 12th Street Community in Sinkor.
The event, funded by the German government (giz), which has now resumed at the William V.S. Tubman Senior High School in Sinkor on November 21, is said to be the sixth community engagement since the process was initiated.
Communities that have benefitted from similar gesture are the Thinker Village, Du-port Road in Paynesville, King Gray, West Point and now the 12th Street community, among others.
Serving as the official launcher, the Ministry Internal Affair (MIA), Deputy Minister, Olayee Collins said, President George Weah is committed to ensure that his government and its partners have succeed in the fight against the pandemic, stating that the resumption of the five-day voluntary testing is a clear manifestation of the Liberian leader and partners’ quest in defeating the virus.
According to him, the issue of COVID-19 pandemic is everyone’s business and not the government alone and as such, residents of the 12the Street Community should ensure that the team achieves its target within the stipulated timeframe.
He added that community engagement during the time of the pandemic in the country is cardinal, emphasizing that the MIA as the deputy lead on COVID will ensure that it supports the team in helping the MCHT and its partners achieve their goal.
Earlier, the WHO Heath Emergencies Coordinator in Liberia, Monday Julius said his organization is a humanitarian organization with a crisis response mandate therefore; they are very committed to the Liberian government by working closely with every community aimed at eradicating COVID-19 out of the country.
Mr. Julius added that the WHO has realized that not only one entity, community or the government alone can defeat the pandemic, and therefore urged everyone citizen to team up with commitment to ensure the safety and security of each other as well as families and communities, alluding, “Because if one is affected, an entire family will be at risk like in the case of the EBOLA Epidemic.”
Giving the overview of the voluntary testing, the MCHT County Health Officer, Dr. Yatta Warpoe lauded the WHO, giz and other donors for the initiative, and emphasized that most of the country’s COVID-19 cases are asymptotic and as such, the voluntary testing is very timely for the people of Sinkor 12th street and the country at large.
In separate remarks, the IRC, AFENET, Last Mile Health, UNICEF, USCDC, NRC, UNDP, and others lauded the WHO, giz and the Liberian government for the initiative – stating that it was timely during this critical time in the country, while at the same time pledged their various institutions fullest support towards the project.