Afrigather 
As we speak marks the 75th anniversary of the institution of the World Well being Group (WHO). On 7 April 1948, nations of the world got here collectively and signed the Constitution for the inspiration of WHO to advertise well being, preserve the world protected and serve the susceptible – so everybody, in every single place can attain the best degree of well being and well-being. In commemoration of this landmark initiative, April 7 is noticed yearly around the globe as World Well being Day. The theme for this yr is Well being for All.
Working with 194 Member States throughout the WHO regional workplaces and in additional than 150 workplaces, WHO envisions a world the place Well being for All is realized. The correct to well being is a fundamental human proper that promotes well being and wellbeing, dignity and a very good high quality of life for everybody, regardless of who they’re, the place they dwell or what they do.
The WHO has been key associate in supporting the federal government of Liberia to attain its nationwide well being agenda.
Over the previous 64 years of WHO’s in collaboration with companions has supported the federal government of Liberia to attain higher well being outcomes and tangible progress in public well being with some key milestones. These milestones embody management of poliomyelitis, strong response to Ebola Virus Illness (EVD) outbreak and the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, prevention and management of communicable ailments particularly malaria, and non-communicable and uncared for tropical ailments by coverage and strategic steerage, technical and operational assist.
“WHO’s 75th anniversary is a chance for us to cease and mirror on the outstanding achievements in advancing the well being and wellbeing of the individuals of Liberia,” says Dr. Clement Peter, WHO Consultant in Liberia. “Additionally it is the prospect for us to come back collectively round our frequent aim and renew our dedication to sort out the challenges that lay forward.”
On the coronary heart of #healthforall is the attainment of Common Well being Protection (UHC), the place individuals can have entry to reasonably priced, equitable, good high quality and sustainable well being care. Within the WHO African Area, round 25% of well being expenditure comes out of individuals’s pockets, thus contributing to pushing tons of of tens of millions of individuals within the African area additional under the poverty line. Nationwide well being methods ought to due to this fact place major well being care because the entry level right into a well being system which not solely treats ailing well being, but additionally prevents sickness and promotes good well being all through life course.
By way of well being standing, the life expectancy in Liberia has considerably improved from 39.7 years (1971) to 64.1 years (2022) of the final 5 a long time. At the moment, Liberia’s Common Well being Important Companies Protection index stands at 42/100 in opposition to the nationwide goal of 80/100.
The African area can be dealing with unprecedented well being emergencies, pushed by battle, political instability, and the results of local weather change. The Horn of Africa is experiencing the worst drought in 40 years and floods brought on by cyclones and tropical storms are hitting nations in southern Africa. These local weather occasions are driving outbreaks of measles, polio, mpox, cholera and yellow fever. There are ongoing illness outbreaks in 31 African nations and greater than half of those have a couple of concurrent outbreak.
The COVID-19 pandemic has rolled again the hard-won positive factors made in routine immunization in opposition to vaccine-preventable childhood ailments. Prior to now three years, it’s estimated that 21 million kids haven’t obtained a single vaccine dose. In 2021, the world noticed the worst continued decline in routine immunization in 30 years, and WHO estimates that, with out fast motion to catch up and get again to regular, immunization protection is not going to return to 2019 ranges till 2027.
Regardless of these challenges, Liberia as a rustic made vital strides in containing the COVID-19 pandemic and stands because the second nation in Africa to have absolutely vaccinated 81% of its inhabitants by December 2022; presently, efforts are underway to combine COVID-19 vaccination into routine immunization. WHO has been on the centre of those milestones by the availability of technical, monetary, and logistical assist.
Allow us to use this event to mirror on the well being companies we wish. Common well being protection (UHC) presents monetary safety and entry to high quality important companies, lifts individuals out of poverty, promotes the well-being of households and communities, protects in opposition to public well being crises, and strikes us towards #HealthForAll.
