MONROVIA – The Liberia Women Forum has urged the Government of Liberia to begin a nationwide awareness campaign about the Coronavirus outbreak.
The pro-women group has also called on the Ministry of Health to put out a comprehensive plan to combat the virus. This plan, according to the women’s group, should include guidance for health centers, health workers and citizens.
The president of Liberia Women Forum, Kadi Coleman-Porte, told FrontPageAfrica that having gone through the Ebola epidemic as a country and still experiencing the aftermath of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, the government and relevant authorities cannot afford to sit idle in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.
“This is the time for us to be proactive. We must start to put all defenses in place before we are taken by surprise,” she said.
Recently, Health authorities requested 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.