50 newly trained emergency responders join the Liberia AVoHC SURGE

Nimba, Liberia – Fifty Liberian professionals have successfully finished a one-month AVoHC-SURGE practicing program designed to strengthen the nation’s capability to answer to public effectively being emergencies. This collaborative effort, spearheaded by the Liberian govt with strengthen from the World Health Group (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Adjust and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the Canadian govt, targets to bolster the nation’s capability to answer to public effectively being emergencies.

The AVoHC-SURGE practicing, a key component of the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Flagships roadmap, outfitted contributors with severe skills in areas similar to Public Health Emergency Running Heart (PHEOC) management, Humanitarian and Health Cluster Coordination, Gender-Primarily based entirely Violence (GBV) prevention and response, Prevention and Response to Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PRSEAH) in emergencies and Snappy Response Team (RRT) operations.

“I am honored to be part of the SURGE Team and deeply proud to serve alongside colleagues who are dedicated to serving people across the continent,” acknowledged Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Joseph B.N. Kowo Jr., Assistant Chief of Group for Health Products and services for the Armed Forces of Liberia Health Products and services who is now fragment of the Liberia SURGE group. “The military has a long history of playing a critical role in public health emergencies, as demonstrated by our responses to Ebola, COVID-19, and the current pox outbreak. This comprehensive training ensures we are well-prepared to effectively respond as a unified force when emergencies arise.” He added.

This intensive program centered on bettering contributors’ capacity to effectively mobilize human sources and reply to humanitarian crises and effectively being emergencies within the foremost first Forty eight hours.
At the graduation ceremony, Dr. Caullau J. Howe, Assistant Minister for Preventive Products and services, emphasised the significance of this milestone, pointing out, “This cohort represents a crucial step forward in our preparedness efforts. Liberia has faced numerous public health challenges, including Ebola and COVID-19, underscoring the urgent need for this vital training.”

Dr. Musu Julie Duworko, representing WHO, thanked the contributors for their dedication and commitment for the length of the intensive practicing program. She highlighted that the graduates are in point of fact fragment of the WHO roster and could perchance perchance even be called upon for emergency deployments within Liberia and other countries wanting assistance.

“I want to thank Liberia’s govt, WHO, Africa CDC, and Canadian govt and stammer them that the valuable efforts invested in this practicing is per chance now not in needless. We are entirely ready to effectively reply to any outbreak in the nation and the broader plan,” said Lieutenant Colonel Dr Joseph B.N Kowo, representing the graduating SURGE cohort.

AVoHC is a reference to Africa CDC’s initiative “Africa CDC’s African Volunteer Health Corps initiative.” SURGE is a reference to WHO’s initiative, “Strengthening & Utilizing Response Groups for Emergencies.