According to a Liberian delegation’s report to the ECOWAS parliament, Liberia is a nation that is significantly dependent on foreign money, with 71% of overall health expenditures coming from external sources, 7% from local sources, and the remainder from people.
The Liberian Health Sector, on the other hand, has a number of initiatives in the works to help remedy the situation.
A report states that Liberia’s current health care system is in need of improvement after the Ebola crisis of 2014 to 2016, which claimed the lives of many Liberians and foreign residents due to weak healthcare systems, hospitals without running water, and a shortage of medical professionals. The lack of essential facilities and drugs also exacerbated the problem.
Rep. Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante from the Andomi-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency weighed in on the Liberian Report, challenging the Liberian government to enhance internal financing and assume accountability for its health system.
He stated; “I would like Liberian MPs to return home and organize a retreat to find methods to adequately support the healthcare system before there’s an emergency, outside financing may not provide you enough to tackle the basic concerns.”
He further mentioned that he’s requesting the government of Liberia to enhance domestic financing and assume accountability for the country’s health sector on behalf of all the members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Liberia’s government, he added, should consider health-related matters as a matter of national emergency because of the percentage of deaths attributed to COVID-19 and the history of Ebola’s impact on Liberia.