Capitol Hill, Monrovia – Health authorities are requesting US$3 million to boost the country’s surveillance and preventive mechanisms against the ominous coronavirus that has hit several countries outside of China.
Appearing before the plenary of the House of Representatives on Thursday, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Liberia, Dr. Francis N. Kateh and the acting Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Dr. Mosoka P. Fallah said they are working with limited resources to strengthen surveillance and create awareness about the coronavirus.
The two health officials were invited to Plenary on Tuesday, January 28 based on a communication from Rep. Dixon Wlawlee Seboe (District #16 Montserrado County) calling for them provide details about preventive mechanisms that are being put in place to protect the population in case of a coronavirus outbreak.
Dr. Kateh told lawmakers that the MOH and NPHIL are instituting the same measures used to combat Ebola, but to fully step up the preventive mechanisms, the Government should make available US$3 million as initial funding.
“The initial investment in this fight is US$3 million to help us put in place measures and mechanisms to protect the population should in case anything was to hit us. For now, we are using the limited resources to maximize result,” Dr. Kateh said.
He advised that the process should be devoid of politics and the nation should unite to protect itself.
He said precautionary isolation centers are being set up and negotiations are ongoing with partners to bring in the right medical equipment and drugs.
The coronavirus was confirmed in the Chinese city of Wuhan on January 7. Cases have since been confirmed in several other Asian countries, Europe and the United States.
The death toll in China from the new coronavirus has risen to 170, as more countries announced plans to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan.
More than 8,100 people are now confirmed globally to have the infection, which has spread from Wuhan’s Hubei province to every one of China’s 31 provinces.
The World Health Organization’s Africa emergency response program manager, Michel Yao advised health ministers in the region to activate standard flu screening at airports for passengers coming from mainland China.
There is a considerable community of students in China from African countries including Liberia, and a number of them have expressed their desire to return home as authorities struggle to contain the virus.
Other countries across the world are considering the option of evacuating their citizens from Wuhan.
Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda among other countries have started implementing surveillance and screening at airports, especially for travelers arriving from Wuhan in China where the outbreak began in December.
Dr. Kateh said the MOH is collaborating with the Chinese Embassy accredited near Monrovia and have placed several Chinese nationals who recently arrived from China on surveillance.
He said the Robert International Airport is a major area of concentration as airports are the fastest passageways the virus is being spread internationally, adding there are mechanisms put in place to track people coming to Liberia.
“The initial investment in this fight is US$3 million to help us put in place measures and mechanisms to protect the population should in case anything was to hit us. For now, we are using the limited resources to maximize result”
– Dr. Francis Kateh, Chief Medical Officer
Meanwhile, the House has pledged its support to the health authorities in meeting up with the needed funding to boost the defense mechanisms.
House Speaker, Dr. Bhofal Chambers called for procurement of more protective masks and other essentials materials such as Protective Prevention Equipment.
Rep. Youngblood called on the MOH and NPHIL to include the communities in the process, while Rep. Vincent Willie (District #4, Grand Bassa County) called on health authorities to launch a robust awareness campaign.
This, he said, should include recordings of special safety messages in the various vernaculars to reach out to every citizen.
Also speaking, Dr. Fallah noted that surveillance mechanism is pivotal in the detection and fight of any disease.
The news of the Coronavirus emerged at the time the country is battling against Lassa fever in several counties including Grand Bassa, Monsterrado and Margibi Counties.
Dr. Fallah attributed the cause of the disease to unclean environment that is bringing in rodents including rats, the chief carriers of Lassa fever to homes.
He called on the lawmakers to join the NPHIL and MOH to join the campaign in encouraging their constituents to always clean their environment.