In continuation of its efforts aimed at strengthening the health sector of Liberia, UNFPA donated three Toyota Land Cruisers ambulances to the County Health teams of Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu and Lofa. UNFPA also constructed and turned over a maternity waiting home in Sinje, Grand Cape Mount County.

The facility was constructed and ambulances acquired with funding from the Government of Japan. Speaking last on 26 May at the turning over and dedicatory ceremony in Sinje, UNFPA Liberia Country Representative Dr. Oluremi Sogunro said the ambulances were intended to convey patients, especially pregnant women who live in hard to reach areas to health facilities in the three counties. “UNFPA has ZERO tolerance for Maternal death, therefore the agency attaches importance to pregnant women and girls having access to health facilities; we continue to seek assistance from donors and development partners to buttress the Liberian Government’s efforts in this direction;” Dr. Sogunro says.

He said when women and girls have access to health facilities, it helps to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality and newborn death. “The maternity waiting home is to be used to host pregnant women who may be in their late second or third trimester to ensure that they are closer to the health facility and deliver there;” the UNFPA Liberia Country Representative says. He called on the health teams of the three counties to only use the ambulances to transport patients especially women and girls. Dr. Sogunro praised Japan for supporting the works of UNFPA in Liberia.

In his remarks, the Ambassador of Japan to Liberia Mr. Kaoru Yoshimura said his country attaches importance to the health of Liberians considering the cordial ties that have existed between the two countries over the years.the health of Liberians considering the cordial ties that have existed between the two countries over the years. “Japan wants to ensure that women and girls have access to quality health services, thereby helping to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in the post-conflict country;” Ambassador Yoshimura said He said Japan’s support to Liberia health system is driven by the country’s high maternal mortality rate.

“Japan’s funding to the health sector demonstrates its commitment to improve the delivery of better health care to the people of Liberia particularly women and girls;” Ambassador Yoshimura added. The Japanese Envoy underscored the need for collective engagement to improve the delivery of health care to the people, especially women and girls, thereby helping to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality. Earlier, Dr. Joseph Kerkula, Director for Family Health Division at the Ministry of Health commended UNFPA for its continuous support to the country’s health sector. He said over the years, UNFPA has provided substantial support to Liberia’s health sector in every area, thereby strengthening government’s effort to provide quality and affordable health services to the people.

Dr. Kerkula also praised the Japanese Government for supporting Liberia in its recovery drive. He said the donation of the ambulances and construction of the maternity waiting home would greatly help to reduce maternal mortality, which the government considers as an emergency. Dr. Kerkula called on the health officers of the three counties to ensure that the ambulances are pre-positioned in areas that they can easily access patients to health centers. During the program, chiefs, elders and citizens of the beneficiary counties gowned the Japanese Ambassador for his country’s continuous support to Liberia.