MONROVIA – In an effort to make sure that there is an oxygen supply in every health facility in the country, the Ministry of Health has embarked on the distribution of oxygen plants to health facilities across Liberia.
Speaking during the MICAT Regular Press briefing Thursday in Monrovia, the Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah disclosed that there are over 3,500 oxygen plants in the country of which according to her two are already in Maryland and Bomi Counties respectively supplying oxygen to facilities that need them.
According to Minister Jallah, the JFK Medical Center as well health facilities in Grand Bassa, Lofa, Grand Kru, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Bong and Sinoe Counties are areas that are expected to receive the newly procured oxygen plants.
She indicated that the essence of the distribution of the oxygen plant is to ensure that there is an oxygen supply in each of the health centers and facilities including clinics.
“So our clinics, hospitals and health centers will all be supplied with oxygen to attend to those needing it”, she added.
The Minister of Health explained that Liberia has been named the Center of Excellence of Oxygen, emphasizing that others are expected to come to Liberia to receive training in oxygen.
“Right now we are conducting biomedical training for people to take care of these plants,” she disclosed.
According to her, Liberia has the National Reference Lab for sequencing, therefore, there is a need for Liberians to be trained to run the instruments.
“We do not want foreigners to come and do these things for us, so Liberians are being trained to run the National Reference Lab and the sequencing process”, she indicated.
She added that there is another lab open in Maryland County and another will be opening in Bong County soon, where the country will have the capacity to run Two (2) distinct labs for Lassa fever and Messer.
“Even with Ebola, we no longer have to wait long for the result, we can get these results within 24 hours”, she emphasized.
At the same time, Madam Jallah, disclosed that the Ministry is gearing up to do another vaccines outreach but this time targets are the elderly, pregnant women, health front liners and people in the villages that were not able to receive the vaccines, adding that, they are more prone to getting the COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.
“Even though the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that COVID-19 is no longer an epidemic of emergency, we still need to take precautions by wearing our masks, washing our hands and covering our mouth when we cough”, she stressed.
The Minister of Health noted that as the result of the end of COVID-19, Liberia has moved from one ventilator at the time to 91 ventilators, which have been distributed to every county.
She stressed that ventilators have been set up in every major hospital around the country and is ready to work for those who need it.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health Boss said that over the last few months COVID-19 cases have decreased, noting that the highest number of cases were recorded in August of last year and as of June this year only Six (6) cases have been recorded.
Making remarks about vaccination, she said Liberia was ranked 3rd among countries in the region that did well in the vaccination process, adding that, majority of the population are vaccinated. LINA
