GRAND CAPE MOUNT, LIBERIA – The Ministry of Health, through its Child Health Unit and with technical support from UNICEF, has wrapped up a weeklong assessment and mentorship initiative aimed at strengthening neonatal healthcare services in Grand Cape Mount County and several other regions across Liberia.
The seven-day exercise, which covered 21 health facilities across the districts of Tiénie, Tewor, Porkpa, and Gola Konneh in Grand Cape Mount, also extended to 80 facilities in Montserrado County, 17 in Gbarpolu, and 20 in Grand Gedeh. The initiative focused on inspecting healthcare facilities, mentoring clinical staff, and identifying urgent gaps in neonatal service delivery.
As part of the assessment, teams evaluated critical areas such as labor rooms, postpartum wards, and pharmacies to determine the availability of essential medical supplies. Officers-in-Charge at the various facilities received on-the-job mentorship aimed at improving their capacity to prevent and manage neonatal sepsis and other infections that often contribute to high infant mortality rates in the country.
Health officials say the primary goal of the intervention is to improve the quality of neonatal care by identifying service delivery shortcomings and implementing evidence-based strategies to close those gaps. The assessment also looked at infrastructure conditions, availability of life-saving equipment, drug stock levels, and staff readiness to manage complex neonatal cases.
Preliminary findings point to several systemic challenges. Among them are a shortage of neonatal intensive care units, critical supply constraints, and the urgent need for more trained staff in rural and underserved areas. These problems are seen as significant contributors to the persistently high rates of neonatal morbidity and mortality in Liberia.
Dr. Nuntia K. Gbanlon-Nuahn, Director of the Child Health Unit, noted that the information gathered will be used to guide national policy decisions and future investments in maternal and child health services. She emphasized the importance of addressing these structural weaknesses to ensure that every newborn has a chance at a healthy start in life.
The Ministry of Health is expected to release a full report in the coming weeks, detailing its findings and outlining recommendations for long-term improvements in neonatal healthcare across the country.
