By: Oretha Bundoo Seh
The West Africa College Of Physicians has ended its 9th Annual General and Scientific Meeting.
Held under the theme: A Closer Look At the health system; Intersectoral Collaboration For Improving Health Indicators, the professional gathering brought together experts from the sector who discussed workable solutions to help address the issues and challenges confronting the Health system in the region.
Speaking at the ceremony the chapter Chairperson and College Vice President, Dr. Musu Duworko said they as expert know the numbers and have seen the gaps stating that the 9th Annual meeting is not about data but rather about solutions.
“It is about forging stronger Intersectoral partnership, investing in Frontline services and ensuring that every mother and every new born has access to quality care, no matter where they live.
According to her, Liberia’s Health Indicators tell a story that is both sobering and urgent .
“Our maternal mortality ratio remains among the highest in the region and Neonatal and under five mortality rates continue to challenge our efforts despite the dedication of our Frontline workers”, she told the gathering.
Providing further details , Dr. Duworko disclosed that stunting and waste persist among the children while the burden of malaria, tuberculosis and HIV remains heavy and non- communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes are quietly rising thereby demanding a new kind of response, one that goes beyond the clinic walls.
However, she pointed out that these indicators are not just numbers but are rather lives, they are mothers who did not make it home, children who never reached their fifth birthday as well as family burdened by illness and poverty.
The WACP Chairperson challenged her colleagues to seize the opportunity to act boldy together .
According to her, health is not the responsibility of the health sector alone, it is shaped by the food we grow, the water we drink, the road we travel, the schools we build and the policies we enact”, she added.
Moreover, she indicated that the sector is also shaped by education, agriculture, infrastructure, finance and governance nothing that it is shaped by the strength of our partnerships- across ministries , across disciplines and across communities “, she told the gathering.
Madam Duworko reminded her colleagues that Intersectoral Collaboration is not a luxury but rather a necessity.
She informed the assembly that when they integrate nutrition into school curricula, they are fighting stunting, “When we ensure clean water in every clinic, we prevent disease, when we invest in health insurance and reduce out-of- pocket costs, we protect families from financial ruin and when we train and retain a skilled health workforce , we build trust in our system”, she re-emphasized.
She also reminded health practitioners that the health of a nation is not built on isolation rather on classrooms, on farms, through roads and clean water systems in board rooms and budget meetings as well as in clinics and operating theaters.
The health indicators she stressed are not just metrics but are rather mirrors, one that reflect who we are, what we value and how far we are willing to go to protect the dignity and wellbeing of every Liberian ” she noted.
She rally her colleagues to be catalyst and spark new partnerships, bold commitments and renewed urgency to act now and not tomorrow.
Dr. Duworko is of the conviction that when they collaborate across the sector, they just don’t improve health Indicators but transform lives, build resilience, shape a future where every child survives, every mother thrives and every community has the tools to flourish.
Also speaking at the ceremony was the World Health Organization Country Representative to Liberia Dr. Olushayo Olu who emphasized the importance of primary health care which he stated cost less and very effective in helping to address issues within the sector.
Serving as Keynote speaker of the 18th J.N. Togba Lecture Dr. Olu encouraged Liberia to see primary health care as major driver to improving Liberia’s health system as evidence of its results in other countries to include: Costa Rica, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana and many others.
He at the same time call for stronger Collaboration and political will to help improve the sector generally.
Established on October 23, 1976, The West African College of Physicians comprise five members to include Liberia as one of the foundation chapters while others include: Gambia , Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
Over the years, Liberia’s chapter continued to grow and currently has forty- three fellows, twelve members, and three three physicians in training across various specialties in the Country.
The number according to the WACP head continues to grow steadily as postgraduate medical education continues at a considerate pace.
In a drive to achieve Liberia’ s need for medical specialists, the Liberia postgraduate medical council and the Liberia college of physicians and surgeons were established to coordinate postgraduate medical education in Liberia.
Meanwhile, the 9th Annual General Assembly and Scientific Meeting ended with a scientific session including a special honor and recognition to Dr. Moses B.F. Massaquoi as the 2025 distinguished service award recipient.
Dr. Massaquoi a fellow of both the West African College of Physicians and Liberia College of Physicians and surgeons was the former national ebola case manager, IMS, Liberia and former chair, sub regional consortium on ebola virus vaccine and therapeutic trials, in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone ans Mali among others.
His immense contributions to the sector over the period and up to now did not go unnoticed by actors and professionals in the area who saw it prudent to honor him as the 2025 distinguished service award recipient.
