Around The Country: Updates From Four Counties – September 8, 2021

Latest From Across the Country: Bo Waterside Border point in Grand Cape Mount County gets new triage to enhance Covid-19 protocol, Bong County Begins Rollout J&J Vaccine and Rapid Covid-19 testing underway in Sinoe County

Bong County: Health Team Begins Rolling Out J&J Vaccine

A lady takes a shot of the J&J Covid-19 vaccine at the Camp Tubman Military Barrack in Gbarnga, Bong County on the first day of the vaccine rollout | Photo By: Emmanuel Mafelah

Gbarnga – The County Health Team (CHT) has begun immunizing people with the 29,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine recently sent to the county by the Ministry of Health.

At the beginning of the rollout on Wednesday September 8, in the Camp Tubman Military Barrack in Gbarnga, County Health Officer, Dr. Jonathan Flomo, urged people to stop listening to rumors and misinformation about the vaccine.

He was speaking in the presence of officials of county administration, health workers, military staff, ordinary citizens, representative of other development partners, and journalists during the official launch of the J&J vaccine in the county.

The Government through the Ministry of Health has done due diligence by bringing into the country especially in Bong County the J&J vaccine to ensure that citizens are protected against COVID-19, Dr. Flomo said.

“We want to also inform you all that have gathered here to witness this J&J vaccine launch please don’t take the J&J vaccine if you have already taken the AstraZeneca vaccine,” he warned. “Doing so will be very much dangerous for you. But for those of you that have not taken the AstraZeneca vaccine you can now take the J&J; it’s good for all of us”.

CHO Dr. Flomo warned people about the health risk of mixing the Covid-19 vaccine during the launch of the J&J rollout in Bong County | Photo By: Emmanuel Mafaleh

At the same time, Dr. Flomo stressed the need for proactive actions by all citizens to stop the spread of the disease. He also emphasized the need for people to continue following the preventive measures.

Also, Frank M. Garpue, Bong County Planning Officer for the Ministry of Education, vowed to take the message about the benefits of vaccine intake to every school across the county. “We can assure you today that we are going to tell our students to take this vaccine, it’s safe,” he said.

Sinoe County: Health Team Launches Voluntary Covid-19 Ripid Testing

The County Health Team is pushing for more people to get tested to void people who are already positive from taking the vaccine | Photo By: Sarah Ellis

Greenville — Following the arrival of huge quantity of Covid-19 rapid diagnostic testing kits (RDT) in the county, the County Health Team, headed by Dr. Alexander Pewee Tokpah, has launch voluntary testing of people in the county.

Dr. Tokpah told reporters in Greenville that the intensive voluntary testing using the RDT kits will ensure people know their health status.

He said the County health Team will shortly launch the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine across the county’s 10 health districts.

But Dr. Tokpah added that before the vaccine rollout begins, it is important for people to know their health status, because “anyone who might be positive of the virus will have to be treated before taking the vaccine”.

He then encouraged everyone in Sinoe County to make use of the RDT in order to know their health status as a means of combatting the spread of the virus.

Grand Cape Mount County: IOM Opens Triage for Travelers

Health workers and staff of the IOM posing for a photograph after the opening of the triage at the BO Waterside border with Sierra Leone in Grand Cape Mount County | Photo By: Jenneh Kamoakai

Bo Waterside — A Triage for checking travelers’ temperature and washing of hands has been built at Bo Waterside border and was turnover to the Grand Cape Mount County health team on September 2. It will enhance adherence to COVID-19 protocols by travelers of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. The Triage was built by International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Speaking at program marking the turnover of the facility, Grand Cape Mount County Health Officer, Dr. Cecelia Woods Cheneyon, thanked IOM for its support. She recounted the numerous support the IOM gave the health sector during the Ebola outbreak in the country.

“This is not the first time for IOM to come and assist [Grand] Cape Mount. IOM was here during the Ebola outbreak and so it’s no surprise for them to come over to help in the frights against Covid-19,” she said.

County Superintendent Aaron Vincent urged health workers who will be assigned at the triage to “do the right thing by checking all those coming in Liberia and going out of Liberia”.

“Make sure they wash their hands, and their temperature are taken before they can leave and they [health workers] shouldn’t be afraid of big cars [bigshots],” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah has called on the women of Grand Cape Mount County to “make use of the Covid-19 vaccine” by getting the jab, disclosing that “more women are not taking the vaccine as compared to man” in the county.

Dr. Jallah spoke recently during the launch of rollout of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine held at the Sinje Health Center.

Grand Gedeh County: Radio Stations Get Medical Support

Zwedru — Grand Gedeh County Health Team has donated to community radio stations assorted materials intended to enhance the prevention of Covid-19 at these respective media houses. Materials donated included hand washing buckets, powder soap, bleach, and nose masks.

Presenting the materials during the CHT regular Incident Management System Meeting (IMS), the county’s IPC officer, Mr. Bill Taytue, said the materials will help prevent the spread of Covid-19 at the local radio station.

“As we all know, media institutions are the gate way to information and so you have many people coming to you for interactions and you never know who is carrying the virus with them,” Taytue said.

“We urged you, media institutions, as I present these materials to you on behalf of the County Health team, to please make use of them because it will help reduce the spread of the virus.”

Mr. Taytue also thanked the community radio stations for informing the community about the virus and how it can be prevented.

Receiving the materials on half of the local radio stations, Flash FM Radio Program Director, Jerry Meme Kai, thanked the CHT and promised that the items will be used for the intended purpose.