A Civil society organization BudgIT- Liberia is calling on the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health to collaborate with CSOs and other development partners to put strong Institutional measures in place to ensure Transparency and Accountability exist within the Health sector of the country.
According to BudgIT-Liberia Country Head, Abraham Varney, there is a need for the Government of Liberia to support the Ministry of Justice to prosecute anyone involved with financial mold practices, especially in the health sector.
He noted that as per a survey conducted by his entity, the Ministry of Health has not released reports about funding and materials coming to the country to fight COVD-19 and other related diseases across the country. He said the Ministry of Health has received huge donor support for the health sectors to combat the virus over the years. But Low pay and incentives for nurses and doctors have led to almost yearly strike actions staged by the National Health Workers Association of Liberia.
He narrated that the most recent strike by health workers derived from the decrease in salaries by the government’s salary harmonization policy affecting all public sectors Workers in the country, there is a need for government to address salary disparities in the country.
He expressed that the poverty rate coupled with the broken health system in the country and the emergence of the COVD-19 pandemic in 2020 raised a serious alarm about the health of the people especially poor people.
Abraham Varney mentioned that the top causes of death in the country include Malaria, diarrheal diseases, neonatal disorders, Low respiratory infections, Ischemic heart disease, HIV/AIDS, stroke, tuberculosis, Cirrhosis, and other chronic Liver diseases and maternal disorders amongst other.
He disclosed that the nonprofit sub-sector provides approximately 47% of the health care in the country while the private for-profit sector provides less than 30%. He made the accession Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at a press conference in Monrovia.
Reported by: Joseph N. Kerkula
Email: jnkerkula@gmail.com
Contact: +231777376826
