Legislature Must Prioritize The Health Sector

WE FIRST OF all thank the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for submitting the National Budget for fiscal year (FY 2020/2021) to the National Legislature.

NOW THAT THE National Legislature is in charge of this budget to either add or subtract, we are urging the Committee on Ways, Means, Finance, Budget and Development Planning to prioritize the Health Sector of the country by ensuring that allocation in the budget for the health sector is enough, taking into the fragility of the sector.

PRIOR TO THE confirmation of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country, our health sector was seriously challenged as it was just recovering from the shock of the Ebola Virus Disease.

THE SYSTEM WILL only improve based on the decision from the National Legislature by ensuring that the resources (funding) is placed in the budget for the health sector.

THE CURRENT HEALTH disaster in the country has further exposed the weakness of the health sector and if you lawmakers haven’t been concerned about the health sector, the time is now to ensure that the health sector is prioritized at all cost.

MAJOR HOSPITALS IN the country that include John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Jackson Fiah Doe Hospital in Tappita, Nimba, and Phebe Hospital among others are seriously challenged.

SOME OF THE challenges are ranging lack of electricity, equipment, essential drugs, low salaries, Mobility among others and if those materials are not provided through the allocation of adequate funds in the National Budget, we will never go a step forward as a country.

YOU LAWMAKERS ARE from the rural parts of this country and you know what the people of this country are going through on a daily basis.

THE VERY PEOPLE who representing at the Legislature are dying from common sicknesses, easy surgical issues due to the low budgetary support to the health sector of this country.

IF YOU MEAN well for the Liberian people as claimed, the time is now to ensure that there is due diligence to the current budget to support the health sector.WE WANT YOU to know that an improved health system is a better healthcare delivery system for the country.  We need to improve the system so as to avoid people flying out of the country to take treatment. The money spent for treatment abroad, can be spent locally for the betterment of our country. We call on you to work towards that.