By Calvin Brooks
MONROVIA, Nov. 18 (LINA) -The Senior Advisor for the Global Health Security Agenda at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has pledged the American Government’s support to the health sector of Liberia.
Dr. Fatima Soud stated that her government through USAID will continue support the Government of Liberia to improve the health of its people.
Dr. Soud made the at the dedicatory program of the Central Environmental Health Laboratory held at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) in Congo Town outside Monrovia at the weekend.
According to her, USAID is the largest donor in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector through the Liberia Municipal Water Project (LMWP) activity.
She noted USAID had funded the construction of pipe-borne water supply service, restored and rehabilitated the water treatment plants in the secondary cities of Robertsport, Sanniquellie and Vonjama to provide drinking water services to an estimated 30,000 population.
Dr. Soud pointed out that USAID has also assisted 1,061 communities to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, noting that it used the community-led total sanitation method to builds about 19,000 household latrines.
She asserted that water quality has been challenged in terms of providing safe water service to Liberians.
« A recent water point mapping study conducted by the Ministry of Public Works in 2018 indicate that 30 percent of the wells in rural Liberia have been associated with contamination with fecal matter, » she added.
Dr. Soud emphasized that this situation calls for a continuous water testing point by putting in place a water quality monitoring regime to protect the population from water-borne diseases.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Health has reiterated the Legislature commitment to building a resilient health system in Liberia.
Senator Peter Coleman stated that the Legislature remains obliged to pump more money into the health budget to fight against infectious diseases across the country.
The Grand Kru County Senator Coleman told guests and officials when he dedicated the Central Environmental Health Laboratory held at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) in Congo Town outside Monrovia that the Laboratory will ensure the testing of water quality and control to prevent water-borne diseases.
He noted that NPHIL is not just critical to Liberia’s health system, but also in the global health system in combating infectious diseases such as Ebola and Lassa fever.
Senator Coleman stressed that quality water resting should not be compromised by supervisors at the laboratory.
He explained that Liberians have the tendency to compromise standard set to operate an entity, but the laboratory should maintain the international standard of water testing.
Coleman indicated that the laboratory should not just be Monrovia-based for water companies in the city to test their water and forget about water companies operating in other counties to ensure that mineral water sold to the public is safe.
The Senator pointed out that the National WASH Commission should work along with NPHIL to ensure that all water companies are certified to operate in the country.
LINA CB/PTK
