Monrovia, Liberia – The WHO and partners has concluded H6 Scoping Mission Debrief Forum in Liberia. The forum aimed to raise national awareness of the need to reduce maternal newborn child mortality.
Debrief objective considered the United Nations support to the government of Liberia in its efforts to accelerate the reduction of maternal, newborn and child mortality, to introduce the micro planning process in Liberia and to also identify critical challenges that undermine delivery of services and Co-create solutions.
The forum focused on issues such as community implementation currently being carried out through the CHA program, mentorship and supervision to improve IMCI and Iccm implementation, and the reduction of under-5 mortality from the current 93 to 43 in 2028. It also discussed adherence to IMCI/ICCM protocols for pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and nutrition.
Other measures include addressing children who have not received a dose of the malaria vaccine, ensuring that a high vaccination rate is maintained, monitoring the introduction of the vaccine effectively for the purpose of rollout, and expanding nutrition programs for children and adolescents in the community and in schools.
In addition to other topics covered during the forum, teenage and women’s empowerment, access to family planning, including post-partum family planning through public-private partnerships, and providing adolescents with accurate and comprehensive knowledge to support life skills were all highlighted.
Dr. Catherine Cooper, Chief Medical Officer of Liberia, thanked WHO and partners for organizing the conference, which aims to address various life hazards in Liberia, on behalf of the Minister of Health. Dr. Cooper promised to maintain constant communication with the WHO and partners, giving the partners confidence to adopt the plan as a working tool.
The goal of the World Health Organization, according to Dr. Anshu Banerjee, Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Aging, is to address concerns related to mothers, newborns, and other conditions that pose a threat to the lives of women and girls.
Dr. Banerjee reported that the team, which includes representatives from the World Bank, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN WOMEN, and other international partners, has been working on the H-Six plan for around two weeks. The team has also met with President Joseph Boakai and civil society organizations, among other organizations, in the interest of the country.
Reported by: Simeon Wiakanty
Comtact: +231881538878
