Monrovia – Health practitioners at this year national health fair have stressed the urgent need for a primary healthcare system in reducing both maternal and neonatal death in the country.
The two-day event was organized by the Ministry of Health through the National Health Promotion Division in collaboration with development partners.
The event was held at the Annur University on the Old Road, under the theme, “Accelerating Maternal and New Born-Health Stop Baby and Mama from Dying”.
At the event, both local and international development partners of the health sector expressed their commitment to the sector.
Also, the Liberia Crusader for Peace headed by Judi Endee was at the occasion sensitizing women and girls about basic health issues.
Speaking at the event, a long time health practitioner, Sister Barbara Brillant said i”f Liberia should succeed in reducing maternal and newborn death the issue of primary healthcare should not be overlooked.
“And if we do not go back and look at the primary healthcare and teach the people down there on how they can protect their lives and how they can get the information on how they can take care of themselves; I think we are to be going sitting around the table for the rest of our lives,” Brillant said.
“Liberians have the capacity and the intelligent to do these things on their own.”
She called for the teaching of life skills at schools across the country, adding that teaching life skills in schools will help students understand some basic health problems.
Also speaking, the Chief Medical Officer of Liberia Dr. Francis Kateh called on development partners to work with the Ministry of Health to reduce maternal and neonatal death in the country.
The Chief Medical Officer also assures development partners that the Ministry of Health will give an account of every funding giving to the health sector.
Dr. Kateh also stressed the need for primary health stating that it is critical for a good health delivery system.
“Health workers at the primary level must know what kind of medication to give to their patients to avoid medical problems,” Dr. Kateh cautioned.
At the same time, the Director of Family Planning Division of the Ministry of Health Madam Bentoe Tehounge outlined the importance of using family planning.
Using family planning will enable students to prevent themselves from unwanted pregnancy.
According to the Ministry of Health, maternal and neonatal death is steadily reducing.
Maternal and neonatal surveillance and response (MNDSR) relate to components of the Sustainable Development Goal #3 which aims at reducing the child and newborn mortality ratio in the country.
In 2016, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with international partners developed an Investment case for Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH).
This is being used as the road map and national plan guiding implementation of evidence-based interventions gearing towards reducing RMNCAH in the country.