Monrovia – Globally, World Health Day is observed on April 7th to raise awareness about pressing health issues, promote healthy lifestyles, and advocate for universal access to quality healthcare.
The World Health Organization (WHO), Ministry of Health (MOH), in collaboration with health partners, commemorated the celebration of World Health Day on Monday, April 8, 2024, at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town.
Dr. Clement Peter, World Health Organization Representative, echoed WHO’s continuous contributions to championing the rights of health for everyone, universal access to health, education, amongst other.
The WHO Representative stated that the World Health Day, climaxed one year of event of 75 years of existence. The campaign advocate for ensure access to universal access to quality health services, education, information, access to safe water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.
Highlighting core challenges in the health sector, Dr. Clement alarmed that the right to health is compromised by political inaction, coupled with the lack of accountability and funding, as well as intolerance, discrimination, and stigma.
Speaking at the special day commemorating World Health Day 2024, with the theme for this year’s World Health Day being “My Health, My Right,” the Minister of Health, Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, emphasized its underpinning importance as a fundamental human right. As addressing the social determinants of health and reducing poverty and social inequalities will ultimately narrow the gap in achieving universal access to health services and the Rescue Mission take precisely an essence.
Leading the campaign of partnerships, the Minister reassured that the Ministry of Health will collaborate with all stakeholders to strengthen the health system in which everyone, everywhere will have access to quality health services including improving safe drinking water, sanitation and nutrition.
“Women should not die while giving life. Let us safeguard the precious lives of women and their newborn because is their right to live,” the Minister stated.
To tackle the challenges ahead, Dr. Louise M. Kpoto named the First Lady, Madam Kartumu Y. Boakai, as Chair and Chairperson of the Senate committee on health, Senator Dabah M. Varlipah, as Co-chair to champion Maternal and Newborn Health in Liberia.
“Today, I will unveil the maternal and child health champions and co-champions who will galvanize the political support to tackle the high maternal and neonatal deaths in our country,” Dr. Louise M. Kpoto.
Accepting her role as chair to champion maternal and newborn health, she calls for a crusade against preventable practices leading to maternal mortality.
“As the First Lady of the Republic of Liberia, I accept with solemn duty and fervent passion my role as the Chief Maternal Newborn Health Champion. I implore each one of you, within the sound of my voice and beyond, to join us as we embark on a crusade against the preventable tragedies that befall our mothers and infants,” – Madam Boakai.
No mother should lose her life while bringing another into the world. Sadly
the shadow of maternal and neonatal mortality looms large in our country, with our mothers perishing at a staggering rate of 742 per 100,000 live births and our newborns at 37 per 1,000. These are not mere numbers; they are echoes of the anguish that alarmed through our communities with the loss of every mother, sister, and child, Madam Boakai explained.
She added, just imagine the heartbreak of a father at the JFK Hospital who held his newborn for mere moments before the child was swept away by the cruel tide of mortality. Or perhaps hearing the voice in the glow of dawn, a mother whispers prayers for the life of her unborn child, a battle against the darkness of uncertainty. Such a painful reality should never be an experience in our modern society. We need to unite as a global village to bring an end to maternal and neonatal mortality.
For her part, the chair of the health committee on Health, Hon. Dabah Varlipeh, who also accepted her role as co-chair champion, reflected on her situation in rural Liberia when she gave birth to twins, two beautiful girls who couldn’t make it after 24 hours due to the lack of equipped health facilities.
“I stand before you as a Liberian woman, a mother and grandmother who has experienced first hand fears of child birth, almost a death sentence for women especially in rural and low income households, Hon. Dabah Varlipeh reflected.
She continued, as we reflect on this year’s theme ‘My Health, My Right,’ I am reminded of my own experiences over three decades ago when my motherhood journey began with a terrible lifelong experience in my dear Grand Cape Mount County as a first-timer. I when into labor 6 weeks before my time and give birth to two strong beautiful baby girls and boyh could not survive beyond 24 hours, simply because there were no government facility to keep them warm. In the only referral hospital them at the St. Timothy Hospital in Grand Cape Mount County.
Hon. Varlipe, affirmed that health is a timely human right, especially for mothers and their new born. As, Liberia stands at a critical junction in this journey towards improving healthcare outcomes especially in rural Liberia for maternal and new birth health.
“Despite considerable progress, our nation continues to grapple with unacceptable high burden of birth and disabilities amongst pregnant women and new born,” Senator Dabah Varlipeh emphasized.
The World Health Organization, Representative Dr. Clement, stressed that population facing marginalization surfer the most, are people who live in poverty and displacement. He emphasized that mental health and physical distress affecting people and everyone deserves access to quality, timing and appropriate health services without being subjected to discrimination.
On this World Health Day and beyond, WHO is calling on governments to make meaningful investments to scale-up primary healthcare, to ensure transparency and accountability and the meaningful involve individuals and communities in decision making around health. Recognizing the interdependence between the right to health and other fundamental rights, the campaign calls to action on finance, agriculture, environment, justice, transport and labor affairs, Dr. Clement stated.
He emphasized the need to improve quality care, zero discrimination, privacy and confidentiality and information (data and awareness) and revealed that, WHO is having discussion on the impact of FGM and all these activities that promote health.
During the program, the First Lady, Madam Kartumu Yarta Boakai, announced the launch of the Women’s Coalition for Reproductive Health and Rights, committed to the cause of empowering women and girls in this significant area.
According to the First Lady, the coalition will focus on various aspects, including maternal health and ensuring access to modern family planning methods.
“As a Champion, I am dedicated to promoting these crucial issues and driving positive change. I am deeply appreciative of the UNFPA, who have graciously extended their consistent support to this coalition. It fills me with great anticipation to collaborate with them and our UN counterparts,” Madam Boakai explained.
Madam Boakai commits commitment to universal health coverage and the establishment of a National Health Insurance Scheme, ensuring that no one is left behind.
She made a call, let’s us engage our communities, our men and allies, to dismantle the barriers that delay life-saving care. When a child in Liberia suffers, it is a whisper of conscience to the world. When we heal a mother, we do not just save a life; we uplift humanity.