Afrigather 
At this time 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, hold the world protected and serve the susceptible – so everybody, in all places can attain the best stage of well being and well-being. In commemoration of this landmark initiative, April 7 is noticed yearly all over the world 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 fitting to well being is a fundamental human proper that promotes well being and wellbeing, dignity and a superb high quality of life for everybody, regardless of who they’re, the place they dwell or what they do.
The WHO has been key companion in supporting the federal government of Liberia to realize 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 realize higher well being outcomes and tangible progress in public well being with some key milestones. These milestones embrace management of poliomyelitis, sturdy 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 way of coverage and strategic steering, technical and operational help.
“WHO’s 75th anniversary is a chance for us to cease and replicate on the outstanding achievements in advancing the well being and wellbeing of the folks of Liberia,” says Dr. Clement Peter, WHO Consultant in Liberia. “It is usually the prospect for us to return collectively round our frequent objective 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 folks 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 hundreds of thousands of individuals within the African area additional under the poverty line. Nationwide well being methods ought to due to this fact place main well being care because the entry level right into a well being system which not solely treats ailing well being, but in addition 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 present, 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 going through 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 attributable to 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 multiple 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. Previously 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 speedy motion to catch up and get again to regular, immunization protection won’t return to 2019 ranges till 2027.
Regardless of these challenges, Liberia as a rustic made important 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; at present, efforts are underway to combine COVID-19 vaccination into routine immunization. WHO has been on the centre of those milestones by way of the availability of technical, monetary, and logistical help.
Allow us to use this event to replicate on the well being providers we wish. Common well being protection (UHC) presents monetary safety and entry to high quality important providers, lifts folks out of poverty, promotes the well-being of households and communities, protects in opposition to public well being crises, and strikes us towards #HealthForAll.
