Liberia’s Health Budget boosted by US$9 Million …Speaker Koffa announces

House Speaker, Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, announced today that, following close consultation with President Joseph Boakai, an additional US$9 million has been allocated for the Ministry of Health.

The total budget for the Ministry in the current draft national budget stands at Fifty Seven Million Eight Hundred Seventy-One Thousand, Three Hundred Fifty-Eight United States Dollars (US$57,871,358). With the addition of the US$9 million, the total health budget will now be US$66,871,358.

Speaker Koffa made the announcement while delivering his keynote address at the official launch of the first-ever World Health Organization Pre-qualified Malaria Vaccine and the 2024 Mass Insecticide-treated bed net distribution campaign in Gbelia Town, River Cess on Thursday, April 25, 2024.

The Grand Kru County Electoral District #2 Representative stressed that, due to the excellent work of Health Minister, Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, he and Senate Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence sat with President Boakai, finalizing the additional revenue for the Ministry.

“The Minister is an excellent politician. The Pro-Temp and I sat down with the President yesterday [Wednesday, April 24, 2024], and our budget committee has done an excellent job in identifying additional revenue. So Madam Minister, I’m sure the President will inform you that through negotiation yesterday between me and the Pro-temp with him, we will fund an additional nine million dollars for you,” Speaker Koffa averred.

The Speaker of the 55th National Legislature stressed that the national government, especially the House of Representatives, remains committed to standing with and supporting the Ministry of Health to help manage and improve the nation’s health sector.

He further emphasized the need for the government to reach a point where seeking advanced medical treatment abroad is not considered a better option, while ordinary citizens who cannot afford international flights suffer.

“Let’s fix it. Only 1% of our people can afford to do that. I’m not allowed to go abroad for medical care not because I cannot afford it, but because my wife works at JFK and she will not allow me to. So, I try to seek all my medical attention at JFK,” he indicated.

According to him, if all government health facilities are strengthened across the country, they will provide equal healthcare for all citizens irrespective of their status or background, adding that service delivery will not be based on what an individual has or what he or she can afford but what the government is providing for its citizens.

Referencing the theme of the World Malaria Day, “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement”, Speaker Koffa described healthcare as a social justice issue in Liberia, noting that women and children are the most affected by the malaria disease.

“The health of a nation is extremely important, and I don’t think any child growing up in the 60s, 70s, 80s, or whatever has grown without experiencing at least malaria once a year. It has been common to our livelihood and existence and it has been devastating to our lives and our economy,” he noted.

At the same time, the House Speaker expressed excitement over what he termed as good oversight on the part of Minister Kpoto for leaving the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town and choosing to host and celebrate World Malaria Day and the launch of the Malaria Vaccine in River Cess County, where malaria cases are on the increase.

He added that the House of Representatives remains committed to supporting and making available the needed resources for proper medical care.

“We will continue to work with the Ministry of Health, and the President has committed himself to this as well,” Speaker Koffa said.