BudgIT Liberia, a non-government organization, has ended a one-day Covid-19 Transparency and Accountability Town Hall Meeting in Kakata, Margibi County, under the theme, “Promoting Accountability, Transparency and Financing Healthcare to Strengthen Service Delivery in Liberia”.
Giving the overview of the one-day event, Emmanuel Kollie, BudgIT Liberia’s Program Officer, said the program was intended to identify major challenges faced in the health sector and how transparency and accountability can be promoted. He said BudgIT believes that Liberia has a challenging health sector that risks the lives of its citizens, and called on the government to focus on improving the health sector.
A group discussion was held, with several groups identifying major challenges faced by health workers and patients at health facilities. They outlined many recommendations that should be implemented to effectively address these health challenges.
Various groups also find out ways that accountability and transparency can be promoted in the health sector, considering both the perspective of service providers and service seekers.
They, at the same time, provided strategies that can be employed to ensure sustainable financing of healthcare services in Liberia to enhance service delivery.
Various group reports displayed that health workers are underpaid in Liberia, health facilities are in poor conditions, lack medical supplies and are characterized by health workers’ slow response to patients, etc.
Their reports recommended that government provides medical supplies for the proper operation of health facilities across the country, as well as provide mobility for quick emergency response, among others. They urged the government to see the need to improve the health sector with the report they have provided to BudgIT Liberia.
Health workers, government officials, civil society organizations, Margibi County Student Union and the disabled community participated in the event.
Meanwhile, participants expressed gratitude to BudgIT Liberia for such an initiative across the country, and encouraged the organization to gather all reports provided and come out with a suitable report that will be presented to the government for implementation.
BudgIT Liberia is a civic organization driven to make the Liberian budget and public data more understandable and accessible across every literacy span.
