Monrovia, Liberia – The CSO WASH Network has stressed the need for the Liberian Government to enforce adherence to health protocols as instituted by health authorities to curb further spread of the Coronavirus in Liberia.
The group in a statement released in Paynesville on Wednesday said it has observed violations of the instituted health protocols; something it says is putting the entire country at risk.
CSO WASH Network Secretary General, George Kayah, emphasized that needful actions should now be taken by government and citizens to save the country from the COVID-19.
See statement below:
The Liberia CSOs WASH Network is urging the Liberian Government to ensure strict adherence to health protocols in the prevention of the Corona virus.
The CSO WASH Network has observed that certain individuals, government officials, private citizens, entertainment centers, and other institutions are not adhering to the Health protocols announced by the Ministry of Health. This, the CSOs WASH Network believes puts the entire country at risk.
The Network is also calling on the National WASH Commission to establish Human Rights office at the WASH Commission to address all human Right WASH related issues and promote cordial working relationship with all civil society organizations in the Country.
The Network is strongly demanding CSOs full participation on the COVID-19 Incident Management System (IMS) and the WASH Commission so as to create awareness, distribution of hand washing facilities, sanitizers and carryout community outreach to inform, educate disseminate health messages in all communities for good hygiene practices to fight the COVID-19 in Liberia.
In another development, the Network is seeking lawmakers support to Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Country Commitments implementation and SWA Finance Ministers meeting slated to be held in 2020. The Network is kindly asking the Lawmakers through the Legislative WASH Caucus to work with the Executive branch of government and development partners to make available needed resources for the fight of the s COVID-19 and ensure that Liberia is fully represented at the SWA Finance Minister’s Meeting in 2020.
The Liberia WASH CSOs Network is calling on all civil society organizations to jointly implement CSOs SWA commitments which include:
The CSO WASH Network is an Advocacy group that works in Partnership with Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) to carry out human right based WASH advocacy for everyone everywhere leaving no one behind; seeking the provision of safe drinking water, improved sanitation, health and nutrition, hygiene behavioral change and sustainable community development.
The CSOs WASH Network wish to appeal to donors, development partners, the Indian, Lebanese Nigerian and Ghanaian communities in Liberia for funding support to the Network so as to help fight the corona virus in Liberia.
Meanwhile, the Focal Person of Sanitation and Water for All (SWA), Timothy Kpeh, is calling for support to the water, sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) pillow of the COVID-19 Incident Management Team.
“That is the pillow that is responsible to educate the community and provide the necessary water facilities and sanitation services to the people. That is the pillow that is very key in the prevention of this deadly virus,” Mr. Kpeh noted.
He said now that Liberia has six cases of the Coronavirus is a national emergency that requires the timely intervention of all especially that the country has a poor health system.
Mr. Kpeh said: “Now is the time that we still have six cases, it’s the time to wake up as a county to do all we can to prevent this virus.”
He reminded those denying the existence of the Coronavirus to rethink as the virus is real and taking the lives of people.
For her part, the Vice President of the CSO WASH Network, Lusu Gibson, called on government to provide an economic package for vulnerable groups during this time of the Coronavirus crisis.
Madam Gibson said the crisis is affecting the world’s economy “But Liberia is at most risk looking at the level of poverty.”
“There are people who cannot afford a cup of rice a day to even feed their family. So I think as we are pushing on this social distancing and adhering to the protocols, we are also urging the government to develop strategy that may include little economic package for the poorest people to be able to adhere to these health protocols that we all are observing,” Madam Gibson added.
