The Government of Liberia (GOL), through the Ministry of Health (MOH), National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and several partners, on April 1, 2021 embarked on an initiative to administer the AstraZeneca Vaccines, in curtailing the spread of Corona Virus Disease in Liberia.
The program was held at the Ministerial Complex, Congo Town, 2:00 p.m., starting with the vaccination of adults, followed by a rollout exercise at eight medical sites: JFK, Redemption, JBJ, Fourteen Military hospital, SOS, ELWA, St. Joseph’s Catholic Hospital and the UN Clinic.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, disclosed that the first phase of the vaccination campaign targets about 56% of the country’s total population, with a little over 129,000 dozes. She noted, “Healthcare workers and people ranging from 60 years and above with co-mobility, like liver disease, kidney failure, hypotension and diabetes, are being considered as first and primary focus. We can assure you that the vaccine is safe for public consumption,” she said.
The Health Minister added that, based on thorough evaluation and monitoring, recipients of the vaccines will be placed into categories, especially for people who are physically exposed to public gathering, like the police, military, fire fighters, marketers, churches, mosques, government officials, the Legislature and Judiciary, and that ambassadors and the UN families are encouraged to form part of the process.
In another development, Minister Jallah said several local and international partners, including the African CDC, WHO, and AU, are part of the vaccine exercise, and will evaluate, report and monitor the day-to-day work of the government in fight to eradicate corona virus out of Liberia and its environs.
Statistics show that, by March 25, 2021 Liberia recorded 2,052 confirm cases, 1,113 recovered, 1 in home-based care and 85 deaths since the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 disease in the country, which was first diagnosed on ex-EPA boss, Nathaniel Blama, while returning from Switzerland in early March 2020.