Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, B. Elias Shoniyin has held discussion with two executive members of the medical charity organization, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), when they paid him a courtesy call at his Foreign Ministry office.

Dr. John Lawrence, an attending physician and pediatric surgeon of MSF-USA, and Madam Renee Madrolle, Head of Mission, MSF-France, are in the country on an assessment mission as well as hold discussions with Liberian health authorities aimed at identifying challenges in the health sector that would lead to possible intervention in the post-Ebola health sector.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, welcoming the visiting MSF delegation to the Ministry, Deputy Minister Shoniyin expressed deep appreciation to MSF for the many humanitarian and medical assistances it has rendered Liberia and its people especially during the long years of civil war.

“MSF played a critical role in addressing major health and humanitarian problems during the country’s civil war,” he said.

Deputy Minister Shoniyin reiterated that Liberia remain eternally grateful to the organization for the enormous contributions and assistance the humanitarian body provided the people of Liberia over the years. He specifically hailed MSF for the establishment of emergency health facilities where many Liberians, including women and children, received free healthcare services. “Liberians will forever remain gratified,” he re-echoed.

He stated that the level of experience and competence that the MSF staff, including medical, brought to the healthcare delivery service in Liberia will never go unnoticed; stating further, “We will be very pleased to receive MSF here and will do everything through our legal team to help you draft and fast track your proposed transitional plan. Pediatric healthcare is extremely important and so we look forward to your intervention in this area also.”

For his part, the head of MSF assessment team, Dr. Lawrence recounted his organization’s role in the Liberia civil war and during the fight against the deadly Ebola virus disease.

He indicated that they are here this time around to intervene in the nation’s post-Ebola recovery efforts, through a long-term technical assistance in the form of health service delivery, training of professional health workers especially in pediatric surgery and nursing which are very critical in improving the country’s health sector.

“During the civil war, we were here on an emergency mission but delivering humanitarian services as well to the war-torn population. Now that the war is over, we are here to take MSF to another level through providing primary pediatric health care on a long-term agreement,” Dr. Lawrence disclosed.

He indicated that his organization’s intervention in the areas of pediatric and training of health care professionals will certainly boost Liberia’s health sector which is faced with huge challenges. “We will be presenting a three-to-five-year health proposal to the Liberian health authorities for consideration and endorsement,” he said.

He further expressed confidence that the proposal when accepted would be extremely rewarding and beneficial to the health sector.

Dr. Lawrence stressed that he will be very pleased to share his expertise with young Liberian health professionals; adding: “The mental wellbeing of people is also of great concern to us.”

He indicated that MSF wishes to come back to Liberia at this critical time with a new proposal for a long-term commitment in the health sector, though slightly different from the organization’s traditional role of an emergency relief agency. “If the proposal is approved by the government, the [MSF] team intends to deploy in parts of the country to enhance health care delivery,” he stated.