Health

Although Liberia has made incredible and tremendous progress towards stability and reconstruction since the devastating 14-year civil war, the health sector is still dwindling and weak. Indeed, it cannot provide the population with adequate health care. In 2006, the Liberian government introduced a policy of free healthcare across the country. However, not all the country’s health structures are able to implement the policy and offer services free of charge.
Health care is a basic and crucial necessity in Liberia, especially when one considers the high incidence of sexual violence, HIV/AIDS. In addition, there are still high risks associated with childbearing. In fact, the maternal mortality ratio is 1000 deaths or every 100,000 live births, is one of the highest in the world. To add to these complications, Liberia’s fertility rate is one of the highest in the region with an average number of approximately 7 children per woman. If the current state of health care doesn’t improve, one out of 12 women in Liberia risks dying in pregnancy or delivery complications. Another pressing issue in women’s health care is the fact that Liberian women begin having children when they are young. 60% of Liberian women have their first birth before the age of 20. It is no news that strong correlations exist between the number of children as well as the childbearing age and a woman’s education level. As discussed earlier, Education is a major challenge especially in relation to women in Liberia.
Another imperative facet of health in Liberia is mental health. During the war, many women were forced to join the fighting combatant groups, living inexplicable experiences which left them depressed and traumatized. It is crucial, if Liberia wants to establish a solid and durable peace to properly reintegrate these ex-combatants women into the mainstream Liberian society. Statistics show that 74% of female former combatants experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder; 55% experience major depressive disorder. 42% of female former combatants experienced sexual violence.
After analyzing the situation on the ground, and gauging what is need, feasible and already been done. Africon suggests the following to the Liberian government in terms of both Women’s Reproductive and Mental Health:
1. Some of the main issues reported by Liberian women themselves where the lack of health care providers, the long distances to health care facilities and the absence of transportation to health care facilities. In order to alleviate this problem, Africon suggests the creation of midwifery training schools. The students will be trained in 18 months and will have to commit three years of work in their community. The midwives will respond to the communities’ needs in women reproductive health as well as give information on HIV/AIDS. In addition, the program will also train local traditional birth attendants in formal prenatal, delivery and postnatal education, HIV/AIDS prevention, counseling as well as basic health education. They will also be provided with basic medical kits.

2. In terms of Mental Health, we advice the Liberian government to encourage and work with NGOs that are already established in Mental Health, such as Médecins Sans Frontières. We also propose the establishment of a media campaign to open a dialogue about mental health, it would not only increase awareness of these issues, but it also send a message that it is ok to discuss them because they are not without solutions. Finally, we advise the Liberian government to rigorously implement the World Health Organization Mental Health Gap Action Programme which supports the issues addressed in the Millennium Development Goals.