IRED Study Seeks Answers
A survey conducted by the Institute for Research and Democratic Development has revealed that the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute’s day to day implementation strategy seems not to be aligned with the Liberia COVID-19 National Preparedness and Response Plan.
Liberia COVID-19 National Preparedness and Response Plan calls for robust procurement and distribution of PPEs to health facilities across the country.
Addressing a press conference in Monrovia on Monday, IREDD Executive Director, Harold Aidoo disclosed that more than 100 million United States Dollars has been received by the government, either in the form of loans or grants from international partners, but how these monies are been applied to the fight against what is a global health scourge remains murky.
Mr Aidoo pointed out that making maximum use of available resources by supporting every aspect of the National Preparedness and Response Plan will go a long way in ensuring that Liberia is ahead of the curve and sailing towards zero infection in the not-too-distant future
According to Mr. Aidoo, 1. 42% of health facilities sampled are without Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) ; while those facilities with PPEs, each has received only one supply or donation of PPEs from private persons, private organizations or Government
The survey revealed that private individuals and organizations donation account for 54% of all PPEs at health facilities within the sample in the Montserrado County.
He noted that the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has also been reticent in making available to the Liberian public up-to-date expenditures towards health services on COVID-19.
“This level of information asymmetry presents a challenge to citizens and organizations interested in monitoring Government’s response to COVID-19 as to which ministry or agency of Government to hold accountable for lapse in the fight against COVID19.”
Meanwhile, the IREDD Executive Director has advanced a four-count recommendation aimed at combating the spread of the corona virus in the country.
Mr. Aidoo among other things recommended that the Ministry of Health ensures the regular and uninterrupted supply of PPEs to all health facilities in Liberia: public and private;
He also proposed that the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia ensure that all health facilities throughout the country set aside and maintain an isolation center for suspected cases of COVID-19;
According to him, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning makes available to the public, on a weekly basis, disaggregated expenditure on COVID-19 per spending entity
IREDD also recommended that the Incident Management Team be empowered to improve on its rate of response to suspected cases of coronavirus.