IPNews-Monrovia, Liberia-6 March 2018: Grand Cape Mount Senator, Cllr. Varney G. Sherman, has blasted some members of the Committee on Health, Social Welfare and Children Protection for what he calls ‘sensationalizing’ the confirmation hearing of Health Minister-Designate, Dr. Wilemina Jallah

Senator Sherman, who came to the hearing as an observer, noted that it was unfair to push-down the throat of the Minister-designate to answer questions that will influence a matter already in court.

Contending further, Senator Sherman frown on members of the committee threatening to boycott the proceedings on grounds that the Health Minister-designate answered questions relating to a lawsuit currently under review at the civil law court of the Temple of Justice.

Senator Sherman: “Fellow Senators, I think this so really unfair to the nominee for some of us as Senators to begin pushing-down the throat of Dr. Jallah to answer questions concerning a matter already before a judge. In the first place, have we all read the case file? Did we see anything in that file that concerns Dr. Wilemina Jallah? No! No! No! there is nothing in that indictment that relates her as a sole committer of the act, so why do we treat her like this?”

Earlier Dr. Wilemina Jallah declined to comment when requested by some members on the Health, Social Welfare and Children Protection Committee to answer questions on an incident involving her clinic “Hope for Women and one Fubulleh family”.

Dr. Jallah told Senators that the matter was in court and under review and it would have been subjudicee to comment on a matter before a sitting Judge which sparked contention among some members of the committee threatening to walk out of the proceedings if the Minister-designate did not address concerns by members on the matter.

Meanwhile, Health Minister-designate Dr. Wilemina Jallah says she will collaborate with the Liberian Legislature in increasing budgetary allotment for the Ministry of Health.

Madam Jallah also stated that ministry will continue collaboration with other health partners in improving nurses and doctors` salaries and wages as a matter of urgency if many of the lapses in the health sector must be addressed.

Dr. Jallah: “We understand there are enormous challenges currently faced by health workers and caregivers, especially many had been working without being placed on government payroll, but we shall institute a rigorous payroll clean up to ensure that proceeds identify will go to increasing salaries of health workers meanly in rural Liberia-adding she will ensure Liberia meets the World Health Organization requirements of 23 health workers to 100 live-births.”

Dr. Jallah at the same time told the Senate Committee on health that as part of the government’s pro-poor agenda, she will immediately introduce a 10% pay cut of her salary and benefits as Health Minister when confirmed.

Dr. Wilemina Jallah, who is trained in astatic and gynecology, played-down criticism of inability to properly manage the Ministry of Health when confirmed by the Legislature.

She lauded her predecessors for ensuring the promulgation of various health policies and laws which are essential to accelerating healthcare delivery in Liberia.

Madam Jallah thanked outgoing ministers of health for ensuring the passage of the New Health and Social Welfare Act, the consolidation of various health policies and plans to roll-out emerging primary health care and increasing the beds for patients in various health facilities across the country.

She furthermore extended thanks and appreciation to President George M. Weah, for her preferment as Minister-designate of the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Jallah, additionally called on nurses and doctors to institute a customer-client relationship to aid in reviving patients at various health facilities.

“Many at times some of our nurses and doctors don’t really take care in addressing issues with patients, we think this has to change as we as health workers are to see patients as customers and treat them as such, to ensure they always want to come for treatment at our facilities”. Dr. Jallah observed