A four-day symposium geared towards amplifying the voices of community health workers will kick off on Monday, March 20, 2023 at the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, Congo Town, with over 600 participants from 46 countries around the world.
The four-day symposium will be held under the theme, “Advancing Community Health Workers Program to Build Resilient and Equitable Health System that Accelerate Primary Healthcare for Universal Health Courage”.
Speaking in a press conference on Sunday, the Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, said the objective of the symposium is intended to foster cross-country learning and exchange action through engagement.
Dr. Jallah said the delegates of the conference will be showcasing their various experiences with integrating and adopting skilling and community outreach programs.
According to her, the delegates will also focus on spotlight countries’ examples of financing model to demonstrate sustained financing for community health workers.
The Health Minister further indicated that the objective of the conference is to enhance accountability and governance by prioritizing measurement and harmonizing to monitor progress towards institutionalizing a community health workers’ program.
At the same time, UNICEF/ WCARO Health Specialist, Dr. Denis Muhoza, said, “For us as UN family, we are so excited that this forum is coming together in one day to talk about community health program, which we acknowledge as the pillar of the health system.”
Dr. Muhoza said community health is no longer something outside the health system, but an integral part.
According to him, they have seen how community health has been pivotal in achieving the UN developmental goals. “But we are still counting on them as a platform for the achievement of the healthcare sustainable development goal,” he added. “This symposium is a benchmark for us, experts, to hear what countries have achieved and learned, and then discuss and dialogue challenges.”
Some of the partners that attended the press conference are Nazo Klreshy, Senior Community Health Systems Advisor, Bureau for Global Health, USAID; Jessica Healey, USAID/Liberia Health Director; Dr. Halima Abdu, UNICEF/Liberia Health Specialist; Dr. Denis Muhoza, UNICEF/WCARO Health Specialist; and Marion Subah, Country Director, Last Mile Health.