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Source: https://allafrica.com/stories/202007130463.html
Liberia: Health Services Decline
13 July 2020
The New Dawn (Monrovia)
The Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) has alarmed over a serious decrease in provision of key health services as a result of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) here.
Dr. MosokaFallah, who spoke to the London School of Economics and Political Science via a video conference recently, noted that key health services such as immunization, treatment and testing have slowed since the pandemic hit Liberia in March, revealing that attendance rate at health facilities has dropped by 23 percent due to the virus.
"Patients are afraid to go to health facilities. Many of them have wrong notion that if they go to hospitals and present similar symptom like fever, they would be tested for covid-19 and be isolated from their families and friends; This has been one of the major problems in our health sector since the outbreak," stated Dr. Fallah.
Providing statistical data on the health sector of Liberia amid covid-19, he said under-five treatment for malaria has dropped by 34 percent, while above five has dropped by 35 percent.
He indicated that due to the outbreak, 35 percent of children are not being immunized as compared to the same time last year. Dr. Fallah pointed out that 10 percent of those who need to be tested for HIV/AIDS to receive drugs are not receiving it due to the virus as well...
Liberia: Health Services Decline
13 July 2020
The New Dawn (Monrovia)
The Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) has alarmed over a serious decrease in provision of key health services as a result of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) here.
Dr. MosokaFallah, who spoke to the London School of Economics and Political Science via a video conference recently, noted that key health services such as immunization, treatment and testing have slowed since the pandemic hit Liberia in March, revealing that attendance rate at health facilities has dropped by 23 percent due to the virus.
"Patients are afraid to go to health facilities. Many of them have wrong notion that if they go to hospitals and present similar symptom like fever, they would be tested for covid-19 and be isolated from their families and friends; This has been one of the major problems in our health sector since the outbreak," stated Dr. Fallah.
Providing statistical data on the health sector of Liberia amid covid-19, he said under-five treatment for malaria has dropped by 34 percent, while above five has dropped by 35 percent.
He indicated that due to the outbreak, 35 percent of children are not being immunized as compared to the same time last year. Dr. Fallah pointed out that 10 percent of those who need to be tested for HIV/AIDS to receive drugs are not receiving it due to the virus as well...