In order to curtail mental health illness, tuberculosis and diabetes in Liberia, Bong County’s district #5 Representative, Edward W. Karfiah have submitted for legislative consideration an act to establish a national healthcare fund for financing mental healthcare, tuberculosis and diabetes within Liberia.
According to the act, submitted by the Bong County lawmaker, mental health illness in Liberia is wide-spread, and estimated that the civil conflict left more 40% of Liberia’s population with post-traumatic stress disorder and the high rate, in the general population, of mental disorder, including major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder.
The act further explained that Liberia has suffered from years of violent conflict, mental health being of the major contributing factor used to destabilize peace and security, and the number of incidents of violence and crime within Liberia and the presence of some of its citizens (zogos) in the street continue to present a grave danger to public safety and national security.
The act submitted by Representative Karfiah stated that Article 8 of the 1986 Constitution says that the Republic shall direct its policy towards ensuring for all citizens, without discrimination, opportunities for employment and livelihood under just and humane conditions and towards promoting safety, health welfare facilities for all.
The act further noted that the growing number of disadvantaged young people (zogos) in Liberia constitutes a major destabilizing factor, and poses a serious threat to the peace and stability of Liberia.
“Mental health issues have turned into a national tragedy, but with little or no consideration to mental budgetary allocation. The national healthcare fund shall constitute revenue fees and charges generated from excise tax levies on tobacco and alcohol and their related products, including excise tax stamps collections to finance mental health, tuberculosis and diabetes,” the act further explained.
The Bong County district #5 Representative’s act submitted to plenary of the House of Representatives asserted that tuberculosis affects the population of Liberia due to low capacity of its healthcare system. It said that tuberculosis is the eighth leading cause of death in Liberia, infects over 300 people per 100,000 and diabetes has become prevalent in the adult population, with an estimated 5.6% of the population.
The act continued, “Strengthen cooperation, coordination and collaboration with local and international partners, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Population Fund, and United Nations Children’s Fund and similar institutions as may be applicable to the health sector,” the act intimated.
After the reading of the communication in plenary, a motion was made by Grand Bassa County’s district #4 Representative, Vincent S.T. Willie, that the communication be turned over to the committees on Healthcare, Ways, Means, Finance and Judiciary to report to plenary within two weeks for action.