An international organization, Action Against Hunger, with funding from Agence Française de Développement –AFD, has donated a brand new Toyota ambulance to the Ministry of Health, through the Nimba County Health Team. The donation was made at the Nimba County health team office in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, on Friday, May 7, 2021, as part of effort geared towards mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 virus and helping to contain its spread. Nimba County is among three selected counties (Montserrado, Margibi & Nimba) where the AFD emergency response to COVID -19 project is being implemented.
Speaking at the program, Action Against Hunger’s Emergency Coordinator, Rachel Jlateh, said the ambulance will be used to support COVID-19-referral purpose in the country in general and Nimba county in particular. She called on the Nimba County Health Team to do their utmost best in making sure that the ambulance is used for the intended purpose.
Jalteh recounted that the ambulance donation is consistent with earlier commitment made to the Nimba County Health Team. She noted that the level of relationship between the Nimba County Health Team and Action Against Hunger has been very productive.
The County Health Officer, Dr. Netty Joe, receiving the donation on behalf of the county health team, expressed high level of gratitude to AAH, noting that the ambulance is timely and will be used for the intended purpose by referring the sick, wounded or infected patients. Dr. Joe said that the ambulance is among several other donations that they have received from AAH.
Of the total number of 2,113 confirmed cases in Liberia, Nimba County accounts for 72 confirmed cases, with 11 death and 61 recoveries, thus making her one of the epic centers of the virus. Nimba County quickly became a county of concentration due to its proximity with Guinea, Ivory Coast where high cases of COVID have been reported boarding country with Ivory Coast and Guinea,
The current AFD emergency Response to COVID-19 aims at flattening the curve of the pandemic and providing more time for response and smoothening the impact for the most vulnerable and at-risk groups. The project aims to reduce COVID-19 incidence among health workers and in the general population, ensuring the continuity of the health services, reducing fear and misinformation, increasing hand washing practices and ensure that the households at risk have a social safety net during quarantine and the wider epidemic period. Carry out MHPSS activities at community and health facility level, provide Psychosocial First Aid trainings, support referral pathway, conduct psycho education session, manage mass media messaging in targeted counties Also, the project will support food security data collection and reporting.
Earlier last month, similar donation of a 275 KVA Perkins generator was donated to the Ministry of Health through the National Reference lab in Margibi County.