Around the Country: Updates From Five Counties – October 15, 2021

Update From Across the Country: Over 30,000 people have take the Johnson &Johnson Vaccine in Nimba County; Major Hospital in Sinoe County Faces Vehicle Challenge, and Residents of Unification Town in Margibi County Warned against recklessly disposing garbage

Nimba County: Covid-19 Vaccine Intake ‘Promising’ in Nimba County

Woods heads the vaccination campaign for the health team in Nimba County | Photo By: Joseph Solo, Jr.

Sanniquellie — The teams rolling out of the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine across the county are sending in “promising reports” as the vaccination campaign continues, according to the Nimba County Health Team.

Making the disclosure in Sanniquellie on Tuesday, Madam Ophelia Woods, who heads the vaccination campaign, said a little over 30,000 persons have been vaccinated in the county.

“This result covers from the period between September 7, 2021, to September 30, 2021, and we at the county health team are very excited about the number of people who are pouring in for the vaccine,” explains Madam Woods.

“At first, we thought it would be difficult to get our people, especially those in ‘rural communities’ convinced to get vaccinated. But as you can see, the number of vaccine intake is swelling every day since the launch. Moreover, we are pleased to inform our people that over 30,000 persons have been vaccinated since the launch”.

She said health workers of all the 75 health facilities which are been used as temporary sites have been tremendously instrumental in spreading the health messages about the vaccines, adding that others have joined the campaign to promote vaccine intake.

“Some private citizens who organized themselves into advocacy groups are also helping to make this endeavor achievable,” she said.

According to Madam Woods, vaccine campaigners are travelling to hard-to-reach communities with their reports necessitating the dispatch of mobile vaccinators to communities for people to get vaccinated.

“All of this is being made possible through the joint efforts of everybody helping to make this happen. Our brothers and sisters in the diaspora under the banner Diaspora Nimbaians Fighting Covid-19 in Nimba, the radio stations in the county, the local administration of Nimba and all of our supporters, you all are making this a dream come through,” Madam Woods stressed.

Maryland County: Fight Against Covid-19 Continues

A man temperature is being taken at the triage at the J.J. Dossen Hospital in Harper, Maryland County | Photo By: Moses Geply

Harper — Partner in Health in collaboration with the Maryland County Health Team has intensified efforts in curbing the spread of COVID19.

According to Partner in Health Liberia Deputy Executive Director, Viola Karanja, Testing for COVID-19 is being done at the triage to prevent infection at health facilities both for patients accessing healthcare and reducing the risk of infection for health workers.

Madam Karanja said All suspected and high-risk patients identified after questioning are tested at the triage and when found to be positive, are directly put in the isolation area which is within the triage for case management.

This strategy is expected to reduce infections that occur at the emergency unit and outpatient department, added Viola Karanja, deputy executive director.

“We are also supporting community volunteers to continue conducting screening for COVID-19 as has been the case since the outbreak and calling on everybody to continue observing all health protocols,” she said.

Sinoe County: Concern Heightens over Challenges at Major Health Facility

Greenville — The administration of the county only referral hospital has expressed concerns due to amany challenges affecting the facility.

Speaking to a team of reporters, Dr Alexander Pewee Tokpa, said the lack of a vehicle to ensure movement of health workers to provide services is a major challneg.

According to him, the CHO assigned car is the only available vehicle at the hospital, which is being used to run the operations of the health facility

Meanwhile, Dr. Tokpa has praised the management of Golden Verolum concession company for committing to supporting the county’s only referral hospital.

Tokpa also called on NGOs, INGOs, and Humanitarians organizations to help ease some of the many challenges the hospital is experiencing.

Margibi County: Garbage Slowly Takes Over RIA Main Road

A pile of garbage along the RIA-Unification City road in Margibi County is raising concerns about waste management in the area | Photo By: Kosian Bolo

Unification City – Pile of garbage is gradually taking over the shadow of the main road connecting the Robert International Airport and Unification City, leaving the city mayor concerned about the problem.

“As it stands, due to residents reckless management of Garbage in Unification City, and along the main road, the city cooperation has introduced this measure to uphold hygiene and sanitation practices and to eradicate garbage piled up along the main road in unification City,” explains Mayor Samuel M. Berrian

“We have noticed that Community members use the under privileged youths (Zokos) to dispose their garbage nowhere else but side the airport road. We have called meetings and talked to the people living along the road to stop but they refused and dump the dirt during night hours.”

Mayor Berrian said the city corporation has hired seven persons to clear the garbage and has mandated the city police to monitor the disposal of garbage in the area.

Meanwhile, Mayor Berrian is calling on community members to avoid recklessly disposing their waste along the road , warning that “serious action will be taken against violators”.