IPNews-Monrovia, Liberia 2017- Director-General- National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Tolbert G. Nyenswah has underscored the importance of collaborative engagements in the institutionalization and strengthening global health security especially following the deadly scale of the Ebola virus disease which cause the death of many in the west African region.
Director-General Nyenswah stated that there are great prospects in the acceleration of Liberia’s post conflict health delivery system through the introduction of the “One National Health Platform”, which incorporates an Integrated Public Health Risk Assessment, IHR Self-Assessment approach.
“ This One National Health Platform”, is workable document that will indeed strengthen the resolve of health professionals in reviewing and analyzing the danger posed to a sustainable public health risk management in accordance with the hallmark of a robust Global Health Security procedures of saving the entire world.”
Director-General Nyenswah spoke over the weekend at the close of a two-day validation meeting on Liberia’s National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS), joint held by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), with support from the World Health Organization (WHO).
For his part, the Director for the Division of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Thomas Nagbe, revealed that the Liberia’s National Action Plan for Health Security is a five-year plan (2017 – 2021),that will cover 19 key areas under the four-core components of preventing, detecting, responding, and building capacity to address other International Health Regulations (IHR) related hazards (radiation, chemical and points of entry); adding that Liberia is a signatory to the IHR in 2005.
“ This Liberia’s National Action Plan for Health Security -NAPHS seeks to collaborate with all health security interventions, through the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), using the One Health Approach and the government’s broader health system strengthening whole society approach”. Nagbe disclosed.
Nagbe also disclosed that the NAPHS will jointly collaborate with other Government functionaries , and international partners to consummate all recommendations arrived at from the WHO Joint External Evaluation conducted in September 2016.
The public health specialist further asserted that the plan covers 19 technical areas including real time surveillance, immunization, food safety, radiation and microbial resistance and stressed that it will require the collaborations of key parties involved to make it workable.
“We envisaged that key line ministries and agencies will muster the enthusiasm to mobilize resources to addressing the integrated activities that have been included in the Liberia’s National Action Plan for Health Security.” Nagbe said.
He furthermore assured that the plan is a dynamic document that will be incorporated by the next administration and should be jointly look at in the context of saving lives rather than politics. “The issue at hand surpasses politics. It’s about addressing critical needs that impact the political atmosphere within the country. We are very sure the actors will be around. This is a dynamic document. We hope it can be presented to any leadership the country will appreciate in the future”. Nagbe noted.
Speaking in separate remarks, Dr. Alex Gasasira, WHO Country Representative, lauded the government for the tremendous progress in strengthening health security and achieving greater capacity in International Health Regulations.
Dr. Gasasira further stated that the validation of the Plan will help Liberia address critical health areas that need attention. He added that the Liberian government’s adoption of the One Health Platform is a major achievement that brings together everyone with the capacities and competences required.
“The Plan is an effective tool to identify and mobilize resources to address critical gaps.” He stated.
On behalf of CDC, Dr. Emily Kainne Dokubo, CDC Deputy Director, reaffirmed the U.S. Government’s continue support to rebuilding the capacity and strengthening of Liberia’s health systems through the Global Health Security Agenda.
“We do not expect this document to die with the present leadership. We expect the next leadership to inherit it. So it’s a live document. It’s a Liberia’s document. It’s not a document that is for any existing leadership.” The US Health Specialist caution.
The gathering brought together Representative of Government Ministries and Agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Defense Officials, Environmental Protection Agency, the Liberia National Police, the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , WHO and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
