WHO STAFF MEETING
WHO has been informed there are IDPs
in Clara town, a suburb of Monrovia. A team will visit the site today for
verification.
The UN-Joint inter Agency mission to Harper takes place tomorrow. Dr. Bolay will represent WHO
There was a meeting with ICRC yesterday. They have given WHO a contact person and number for future coordination and contacts.
Staffs are reminded of the Security briefing sessions with the SFO on Mondays and Thursdays at 1600 hrs. All International staffs and area Wardens are also reminded to respond to the radio security checks at 2000hrs everyday. More Security lesson CDs are required to enable staff complete the security lessons.
The CAP 2004 document should be ready by 25th September.
The numbers of the new Thuraya phones for the field have been given to all staff. Staff going to the field must carry them with them for any emergencies.
MISSIONS:
TO BOPOLU, GBARPOLU COUNTY AND LOFA BRIDGE, GRAND CAPE MOUNT COUNTY
A Joint UN Team visited Bopolu, Gbarpolu County which is about 120 kilometers from Monrovia and Lofa Bridge Town, Grand Cape Mount County which is about 80 kilometers from Monrovia.
The WHO team was headed by the WR, Dr. Omar J. Khatib, and included the EPI Surveillance Officer, the IT Assistant and the County health officers of both counties. The WHO team was also accompanied by a vaccination team. Briefly, the following were the activities during the mission:
- First session of measles vaccination
since the beginning of the 2003 was begun in Bopolu on the day of the mission.
Over 60 children aged 6 months to less than fifteen years vaccinated within
the first 30 minutes of the team's stay in Bopolu. The vaccination team
remained behind to carry on immunization for two days.
- WHO donated a unit of basic medical
kit and commissioned the Bopolu Health Center which had been closed since
the beginning of 2003. A three-man staff headed by a trained health worker
(licensed practical nurse) is in place to run the clinic.
- At the Lofa Bridge Community, the WHO also donated another unit of basic medical kit to the Lofa Bridge
Community Clinic which had been closed since the beginning 2003. A three-man staff headed by a trained health worker (physician assistant) is in place to run the clinic.
TO SALALA AND TOTOTA IN BONG COUNTY
A mission with UNCHR, OCHA, WFP, WHO (represented by Dr Siamevi and Mapatano) and the Phebe Hospital officers made an assessment on Thursday at Salala and Totota corridor after the reported incidence of looting 2 days ago on 9 September 2003 by GOL militia. The mission was possible thanks to the ECOMIL deployment in the area.
The population which fled Kakata is now returning to Salala and even further up to Totota. Totota camp and Maimu refugee Camp 1, Camp 2 and Camp 3 were sheltering before the event 12,000; 16,000 ; 12,000 and 12,000 IDPs, respectively. The clinics, which were operated by MSF-F in these camps, were looted and have not been reopened. The IDPs who fled are returning and have expressed food, shelter and health care to be their most urgentneeds.
WHO AND DIV. OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH OF MOH MEETING
The WHO/Consultant met the staff of the DEOH/MOH on Thursday, 11th September 2003 to identify the challenges faced by the DEOH and the assistance WHO could provide to reinforce the capacity of the Institution.
The needs expressed were as follows:
1. Support for supply of equipment and official transportation for staff
2. Capacity building for the staff
3. Technical support for the development of Occupational health and chemical safety sections of DEOH;
4. Rehabilitation of the Public Health Laboratory
5. Resettlement packages for the displaced staff who used to work in the hinterland and who are now in Monrovia.
NUTRITION ACTIVITIES
The Sub-Committee on Nutrition Coordination met today in WHO.
The Committee discussed how best to address the increasing number of malnourished children and pregnant women seen by the health service providers. WFP will not be initiating general feeding programs in the communities. Means have to be found to target vulnerable groups in the communities with supplementary feeding programs, through e.g. MCH programs.
Supplementary and therapeutic feeding programs need to be standardized. Protocols for Liberia will be developed by WHO and UNICEF together with MOH using existing international guidelines and will be distributed to the Committee members during the next meeting (Thursday 18th September).
There is the need for in-service training for service providers on the management of malnutrition in emergencies and the need for IEC materials in nutrition, especially on appropriate infant and young child feeding.
A case of Pellagra that was reported at the Nutrition Sub committee meeting will be investigated today.
DONATION OF KITS AND DRUGS
- 50kg of Chlorine and 1 complete (1-24) Emergency Health Kit to Phebe hospital
- 1 Emergency Basic Kit each to Bopolu and Lofa Bridge Health Centers.
- 2 Emergency Basic Kits and 200 sachets of ORS to Maryland County
- 6 Complete Trauma Kits to MERCI (An NGO)
- 2 Complete Trauma Kits to MERLIN (An NGO)
- 2 Cholera Kits to MERLIN
ON-GOING ACTIVITIES
1. WHO, UNICEF and MOH joint mass immunization campaign for children 6 months to 15 years against measles; and Vit. A administration for children 6 months to 5 years in Bomi and Gbarpolu Counties.
2. WHO, UNICEF, MOH and NGOs joint mass chlorination of over 5,000 community wells within Monrovia
3. Preparation of CAP 2004 document. WHO is the lead Agency for the health and Nutrition Sector. There will be Focal Points meeting on Friday 12 September 2003.
4. Cholera outbreak containment and surveillance on going in Monrovia and Buchanan. A report of diarrhea and death at IDP camp at 1st Assembly of God Church in Clara Town was investigated and found to be a false alarm and that the camp is only 200m away from a functioning MOH/MSFhealth clinic. Population at the camp estimated at less than 150 people.
HUMANITARIAN COORDINATING MEETINGS
Morning and evening meetings were held with routine issues discussed.