Monrovia – In 2015 the Ministry of Health developed the health workforce program, an inter-ministerial initiative to achieve targeted improvement in the quality, quantity and skills diversity of the national health work force as a means of improving access to safe and quality health services in Liberia.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
One component of the health workforce program is to recruit and deploy visiting faculty to fill gaps in health workers education and train the next generation of Liberians faculty; this is where the Liberian college of physicians and surgeon comes in place.
Last Friday Liberia hosted the second annual general scientific meeting with delegates from African countries all of whom are surgeons and physicians hosted by the Liberia College of physicians.
Dr. Madam Roseda Marshall, President of the Liberian College of Physicians, at the start of the two-day event held at the Monrovia City hall said, this college was formed by an act of legislation in December 2012 and the first residents started their training September 30, 2013 in four call areas which are pediatrics, internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology.
According to her, Liberia occupies a unique position among its sister colleges in the sub-region in terms of the college.
The college, she said is not only responsible for training but also responsible for the basic logistics in training including the faculty and a conducive atmosphere for learning.
Dr. Marshall said: “Despite all the challenges we now have three cohorts of residents in training because we are small we can only take in five per residents and since we are training in four faculty meaning we can only take 20 per years.
“We have sponsored two annual general scientific meetings the fist was last year.
This is a mandate by the West African college of Physicians and Surgeons that every sister college should hold an annual general scientific meeting.”
Dr. Marshall continued by saying the future of the college is to maintain a strong collaboration with the West Africa College of physicians and surgeons.
She stressed the importance as they go out to seek faculty.
Serving as key launcher Vice President Joseph Boakai gave his commitment to fully supporting and ensuring that the College is reflected in the National Budget could improve their work.
Boakai who launched the residency component of the college three years ago said, said he was proud of the gains the College had made.
He believes that Resilience health system is vital to ensuring stability and wellbeing of a society.
In Liberia the ebola epidemic has shown fragility in the health system. Much is expected out of the historic conference.
While we prepare for cure prevention should be our goal.