President Weah Seeks 42 Years Old Public Health Law Amended

-Says It Does Not Reflect Current Day Realities

By Mark N. Mengonfia

President George M. Weah has written members of the Liberian Legislature requesting an amendment in the 1976 Public Health Law to reflect current day health realities.
President Weah in his communication to that body said ” I am pleased to submit to your honorable body for enactment Public Health Law of Liberia as Revised (2020).”
He said the title 33 Public Health Law of Liberia as adopted on July 16, 1976 has a life spanning over 42 years and does not reflect current day health realities.
According to the Liberian leader, the 42 years old Public Health Law does not address new and emerging public health challenges such as emergency treatment, discrimination, mental health,
The antiquated law according to President Weah lacks regulation on nutrition, reproductive health rights, regulation of marketing of products for infants and young children, zoonotic disease, non-communicable disease, antimicrobial resistance, clinical trials and complementary and alternative medicine.
The Liberian leader told members of that Legislative body that the intention of the new proposed Public Health Law as Revised (2020) is to address all of the challenges including collating and integrating the separate laws governing the public health system. Additionally, the law is intended with the realization that a unified public health system is necessary in ensuring that all citizens and residents of the republic have equal access to quality services.
Upon receiving the communication from the Liberian President and read in open plenary, members of that body agreed that the President’s request be forwarded to the Committees on Health and Judiciary to report in two weeks time.
It is not clear if the communication from the President was written on February 3,2020 as the document carried or was it another mistake from the Liberian leader.