The World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations has described Liberia’s step toward developing a national action plan on antimicrobial resistance as an important milestone for the country in meeting its health deliverables.
WHO’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Officer, Dr. April Baller, said this national action plan on antimicrobial resistance is the first step in combating diseases that resisting medicines in animals and human beings in the country.
Dr. Baller made the observation she spoke at the program marking the opening of the validation forum for the national action on antimicrobial resistance held at a hotel in Paynesville.
She assured the Liberian government of the WHO’s fullest cooperation in developing measures aimed at combating diseases resisting modern medication.
In remarks, the Deputy Health Minister for Planning and Research, Dr. Varfee Tulay, diseases that are resisting medical treatment is a major challenge to the health and agricultural practitioners in the country.
He said this has become the situation worse because of the importation of lot of frozen food and some contaminated with all sorts of substances.
The Deputy Health Minister encouraged health and agricultural practitioners to be mindful of fake drugs on the Liberian market
Speaking on behalf of the United States Agency for International Development, Monica Dea, who is also the Coordinator of the One Health Committee,
Also speaking at the program, the Deputy Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Dr. Ralph Jeteh, said NPHIL is hundred percent committed to this efforts thus far and will continue to work with partners purposely to ensure that this document is validated and implemented in Liberia
He thanked partners for their level of contribution thus far and appealed that they work with the NPHIL until these health challenges are overcome
The program ,which was organized by the National Public Health Institute of Liberia with funding from the World Health organization, was graced by representatives from the United Central for Disease Control, the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, United States for International Development among others.