IPNEWS: As a clear manifestation of partners’ commitment to supporting and collaborating with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to provide health service to the people of Liberia, especially the most vulnerable rural populations, the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health received seven (7) ambulances from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
The donation was made to the Ministry in Congo Town on June 14, 2024.The ambulances were procured under the Accelerated Community Development Programme (ACDP) to the Ministry for use by ACDP beneficiary communities across seven counties including Bomi, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Nimba, River Cess and River Gee. The Accelerated Community Development Programme (ACDP) is a Government led program jointly implemented with UNDP.
The Cost is approximately $354,385.64 United States dollars, the ambulances are intended to be used to beef up the logistical strength of the Ministry of Health County Health Teams (CHT) in providing affordable health delivery services.
Receiving keys of the vehicles, Liberia’s Health Minister, Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto, thanked UNDP for the donation and assured the Government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s commitment to providing quality healthcare service delivery for all.
“We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Ministry of Health for the ambulances donated to the Ministry,” Dr. Kpoto expressed.
Committing the ARREST Agenda’s zero tolerance for corruption, Kpoto disclosed to the partner that since her ascendency to the helm of leader at the Ministry, donor’s funding has been accounted for, assuring UNDP of using the donation for its intended purpose.
The Health Minister: “Since we entered the Ministry of Health, there have been transparency and accountability for every donor’s money and funds that enter this building.”
She said the intent to provide transparency and accountability in government, especially the health sector, is to execute President Boakai’s health agenda to fullest.
“We promised to execute the President’s agenda to the fullest that calls for zero tolerance for corruption. Amongst the ARREST agenda, we have the availability of ambulances, and we are happy that we are achieving that. Those counties that were named, those ambulances will be given to them and they will be monitored,” Dr. Kpoto assured.
Handing over the donation to the Ministry, UNDP Liberia Resident Representative, Mr. Louis Kuukpen said the ambulances are designed to operate in “hard-to-reach” environments and communities.
“The ambulances being turned over today are in line with the vision and aspirations of the ACDP – to cater to the needs of the most vulnerable populations in rural communities,” he disclosed.
Mr. Kuukpen assured UNDP’s commitment to the Ministry and promised continuous engagements in identifying other health issues in these beneficiary communities that UNDP, under the ACDP, can address.
“We therefore encourage you Madam Minister, to use these ambulances are co-owned and co-managed with beneficiary communities to bring health services closer to the counties mentioned supra. We will work with your to form a business model that will guarantee sustainability of ambulances.”
The donation ceremony was graced by scored of officials of government, including Hon. Dehpue Zou, Deputy Minister for Economic Management, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning; and Hon. Ellen O. Pratt, Deputy Ministry for Urban Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In Separate remarks, they expressed gratitude to UNDP for such a huge support to the health sector that would help reduce budgetary burden on government and strengthen decentralization development.
The ACDP was launched in November 2022. The five-year programme was co-created and designed in a consultative process by stakeholders including the GoL, represented by key line ministries, development partners and community representatives based on a feasibility study conducted in 2020.
The 2020 feasibility study identified about 37 communities across the 15 political subdivisions (counties) of Liberia and key challenges they are faced with including lack of access to affordable energy, safe drinking water and sanitation as well as feeder roads, food security and agriculture.
The Programme therefore is expected to have an immediate impact on reducing poverty while accelerating socio-economic development in rural communities.
The program also seeks to help strengthen human capital and resilience to shocks and pandemics and is aligned with the ARREST Agenda for inclusive and Sustainable development. It is also aligned with the core principles of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 3.
For instance, in 2016, with support from the UN Peace Building Fund, UNDP trained two Liberian Doctors as Pathologists in Ghana through a 3-year program, and they are now operating the functional forensic laboratory at the JFK Medical Center in Liberia. They were trained to investigate and provide empirical evidence of suspected SGBV cases for use in court trials. UNDP over the years has been providing technical, logistical and M&E capacity building to the Ministry under the Global Fund Programme. In addition, UNDP, UNFPA and WHO are also implementing the “At-Risk Youth” project.
