A two-day workshop, supported by the Global Fund, to boost quality laboratory services and strengthen integrated lab system management ended in Monrovia last Thursday.
The workshop, organized by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with Plan International Liberia and other partners, brought together members of the Association of Lab Technicians in Liberia, among other technocrats and laboratory and diagnostic service providers in and out of Liberia. The workshop, which focused on “Integrated Lab System Strengthening and Change Management, discussed the status of Laboratory quality in Liberia, key challenges, management system, and recommendations to improve laboratory quality and leadership in Liberia.
Similarly, with support from the Global Fund, its Principal Recipient Plan International Liberia, and other health sector partners, The Ministry of Health concluded two other workshops focusing on tuberculosis (TB) and HIV interventions. These workshops aim to evaluate the current status of TB and HIV response efforts in Liberia, address key challenges, and develop strategies to strengthen the country’s intervention efforts.
Attendees include investment partners from the Global Fund, healthcare providers specializing in TB and HIV, and various other stakeholders.
This workshop aligns with a concurrent high-level visit from the Global Fund Africa delegation to Liberia. The delegation aims to review health sector investments, particularly TB-focused efforts. The delegation has met with officials from the Ministry of Health and the Liberia Coordinating Mechanism, the body responsible for overseeing Global Fund activities in Liberia.
The meetings complement the current Global Fund Grant Cycle Seven (GC7). This cycle covers multiple integrated grants for HIV and TB programs, Resilient Health System Strengthening (RHSS), COVID-19 (C-19RM), and malaria interventions. The grants, totalling US$117,546,670, are designated to support key initiatives under the Global Fund’s new funding framework for 2024-2026.
In July 2024, H.E. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, President of the Republic of Liberia, officially launched the GC-7 and C-19RM grants. The GC7 funding focuses on national programs for HIV, TB, Malaria, and COVID-19 response, alongside efforts to strengthen Liberia’s health systems. Notably, it also includes a Wave 2 COVID-19 investment aimed at bolstering the country’s resilience and preparedness. This funding is a crucial step forward for Liberia in advancing health security and addressing priority health needs.
