IPNews-Monrovia, Liberia-22 June 2018: An Act (draft law) to establish the Health Assistant Schools Association of Liberia (HASAL) to help build the country’s resilient health sector is under review at the House of Representatives.
Members of that august body voted on Thursday, June 19, at its 38th Day Sitting to forward the Act to the Standing Committee on Health to review, scrutinize and report to Plenary within two weeks.
The Act to establish the HASAL was submitted by the chairman on Claims and Petition, Montserrado County District #4 Representative Rustonlyn S. Dennis and Representative Samuel Enders during a recent petitioning ceremony.
It may be recalled on Thursday, June 15, at least 125 students from 48 Nurse Assistant Schools and related Nursing Aid Institutions from Montserrado, Margibi and Bong counties, under the umbrella of HASAL, petitioned the House of Representatives and the Senate to enact legislation granting the association a legal status.
At the petitioning ceremony on the grounds of the Capitol Building, the petitioners said the association, if passed into law, will give Assistant Nurse (or Nurse Aid) status to be licensed and help control the activities of drugs peddlers (black bags).
HASAL secretary general K. Mike Tarlwe, who read the petition, said Health Assistant (Nurse Aid) should be considered as middle healthcare providers and as professional, clinicians.
“The passage of these acts will enable the association to be actively involved in the training, monitoring, evaluation, supervising and regulating of all Health Assistant Schools in the country,” the statement said.
