By Tokpa Tarnue, tarnue82@gmail.com
VOINJAMA, Liberia- The World Health Organization (WH) has presented a COVID-19 Vaccination Award to the people of Lofa County through the ministry of health.
According to the WHO Field Coordinator assigned to Lofa County, Emmanuel Harris, the award was presented last Wednesday, July 27, 2022, is in recognition of the good work done by the county in reaching the 70% target of the county’s total population during the first phase of the reboots COVID-19 vaccination activities.
Data provided by the WHO during the award ceremony showed that out of a population of 370,361 as a county a total of 260,350 people from 12 years and above were fully vaccinated across the county representing 70.3% of the county’s total population.
Touching on the next phase of the COVID-19 Vaccination activities as a county, the child survival focal person at the Lofa County Health Team Howard Yokie, disclosed that they will continue to use previous strategies by working with community structures, increasing engagements with key stakeholders and will also introduce the pediatric vaccines targeting children from 5-11 years in order to reach the 90% target.
He further indicated that the health team will also increase working with educational authorities which is very key to the success of every vaccination campaign activities.
Presenting the award to the central health ministry on behalf of WHO Representative to Liberia, Dr. Peter Clemet for onward presentation to the county was WHO family health and population advisor, Dr. Musu Duworko who praised the people of the county for reaching the 70% target in record time.
She said Lofa as a county was able to reach the 70% target before the 30th of June which was WHO targeted time; something she said cannot go on noticed.
Dr. Duworko indicated that even thou there is more to be done, but that the county has done a lot and the award should be seen as a motivation and a drive to even go beyond the integrated phase of 90%.
For her part, the director for the family health program at the central health ministry Madam Bentoe Zoogley Tehoungue who proxy for the chief medical officer and minister of health said the award to the county was not a surprise owning to the resilience of the people of Lofa during health crises.
She said the collaborative work by the people of the county in supporting the health team resulted to the recognition of the good work in reaching the 70% target within the stipulated time set by the WHO; soothing that the central health ministry was very glad about.
Meanwhile, the community health department director at the Lofa County Health Team Mr. Edmond Eisah who also proxy for the county health officer described the event as a remarkable ceremony that will go down in history.
He said the county health team was very thankful to the WHO and that of the central health ministry for the award and promised that the county health team through the continues support for the citizens of the county will not stop at the 70% but will go beyond by reaching the 90% and that the county will again be awarded for its hard work.
Receiving the award on behalf of the county, Lofa County’s Superintendent, William Tamba Kamba described the award as a challenged to the county especially the front liners who are the health workers to do more and nut to allow complacency to hold back the county in reaching the 90% target as indicated by the WHO.
Superintendent Kamba said Lofa as a county will indeed be awarded again because the county will surely reach the 90% target.
“Our dedication and commitment to duty as a county is what that is making us to succeed in everything that we do,” superintendent Kamba indicated.
He then praised and congratulated the various sectors of the county for always been supportive to all activities within their own county especially the health issues.
In separate remarks, representatives from both the Christian and Muslim communities, the Liberia marketing association, the civil society organizations, district commissioners the media and the ministry of education among others pledged their commitment and support to continuously working with the county health team in assuring quality health care for the citizens of the county.
The award ceremony was held on the grounds of the Lofa County Health Team in Voinjama city.