Around The Country: Updates From Six Counties

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Gbarpolu County: COVID-19 Awareness Ambassador

Kelvina Galabah [first from left] was a happy woman on Monday, June 9 when she reunited with her daughter who recovered from COVID-19 | Photo By: Henry Gboluma, Jr.

A woman, whose daughter recently recovered from COVID-19, has taken to social media to tell people that testing positive for the virus is not a death sentence.

On June 9, Kelvina Galabah was reunited with her 15-year-old daughter after she returned from the treatment center.

And she later posted to her Facebook profile: “I can’t wait to glorify God for what he has done for my family because we were under quarantine while my daughter was pronounced positive for Coronavirus, but on the ninth of June 2020, she has been declared free of coronavirus, so am shouting and singing.”

Her Facebook post attracted the county health team and many others in the county

Kelvina’s outspokenness about her daughter’s recovery has not gone unnoticed.

“Based on her courage, corporation, and support to the county health team towards her child recovery, she has been recognized as COVID-19 Preventive Messages Ambassador of the county,” said Augustus Kpessey, the county’s Surveillance Officer, as he urged her to join the risk communication team.

“Please help us to convince people that this virus is real so that they can change their behavior to help the government battle this pandemic, ” he added.

She has accepted the role and pledged to work with the county health team to increase awareness about COVID-19 in the county.

As of June 10, five persons have recovered from COVID-19, while have been two deaths out of the total of seven confirmed cases in the county.

 Maryland County: Supporting Communities

Several households benefited from the donation made by the local organization | Photo By: Moses Geply

The People of Kwedoken town, Pleebo Sodoken District have received a boost in their fight against COVID-19. The support, which includes assorted food items and awareness messages, was provided by a local NGO, J&J Girls Aid Foundation.

Joanna Togba, Executive Director of the organization, said the gesture is their own way of giving back to locals during the health crisis.

Residents, who benefited from the gesture, described it as “timely” due to the economic difficulties they face during the pandemic.

Kwedoken is about sixty kilometers away from the county commercial city, Pleebo and is currently challenged with deplorable road.

River Gee County: Mitigating Land Dispute

Amid the ongoing pandemic, River Gee and Maryland Counties superintendents are working to settle a major land dispute in the region.

The contested land is situated between Barrobo of Maryland County and Gbeyeboe of River Gee County.

Currently, a team of delegates from Maryland County headed by Hon. George Andrews Prowd and delegates from River Gee county head by superintendent Philip Nyanu are conducting a preliminary investigation about the ongoing land saga between the people of Borrobo and Gbeyeboe.

The land dispute has created tension in the area by undermining the ties between the two communities and at the same time  obstructing normal farming activities.

Montserrado County: Internews Continues COVID-19 Fight

The donation was made on Wednesday at the Ministry of Heath. Mr. Jefferson Massah, Deputy Chief of Party of Internews  (right), symbolically presents some of the items to Health Minister, Dr. Jallah (left) | Photo By: Internews in Liberia

USAID’s Liberia Media Development program managed by Internews in Liberia on Wednesday; June 10 provided some logistical materials to the Ministry of Heath as part of the ongoing efforts to contain COVID-19.

Materials donated will be used by County Health Promoters under the Risk Communications Pillar at the county level.

Items donated include: 15 sets of rain-gear, 15 boots, 15backbags and 17 megaphones to enhance the work of the 15 County Health Promoters across the country.

Already, Internews under USAID Liberia Media Development program is providing support to 30 community radio stations spread throughout the country to broadcast daily information about preventing COVID-19.

Additionally, more than 30 rural and urban journalists are also part of the project’s “Responsible Heath Reporting Fellowship”.

Accurate media reporting on COVID-19 will help narrow the misinformation gap regarding the virus situation in Liberia, Internews said.

Grand Bassa County. Lawmaker Makes Donation

Representative Goshua speaks to the media during the presentation of medical items in Buchanan city | Photo by: Elton Wrionbee Tiah

The Chairman of the Grand Bassa Legislative Caucus and Representative of Electoral District Five, Thomas Alexander Goshua has begun the distribution of medical supplies across the County.

The lawmaker has visited the Group of 77, the Liberia Government Hospital and several other health related institution, presenting medical supplies and food.

Goshua told reporters that a container stocked with several medical supplies arrived in the Liberia recently through his office for the people of the county.

“I have begun the distribution of several medical supplies across the county because one of my major priorities is to ensure that our people are healthy,” the Grand Bassa District Five lawmaker said.

“We have lots of things in this package for the health centers in this county and we will ensure that we touch as many facilities and groups we can reach out to.”

Bong County: Motorcyclists Cautious

The head for the Bong County Motorcycle Union, Samuel Elliott, has encouraged his members to continue wearing nose and mouth mask and adhere to physical distancing when carrying passengers.

Elliot said one the easy way to stop the spread of the coronavirus is for everyone to continue wearing masks, practice physical distancing and washing of hands.

He said everyone should think about his or her own safety including family, community, and country, noting that no regulation can determine one’s safety unless it comes from the person.

Mr. Elliot said it is important that people of Bong County continue to follow the preventive measures because “even if there is one case, everyone is still at some risk”.