The Ministry of Health and Social welfare recent held a half day interactive discussion with members of the Legislature on the prospects and challenges of immunization process. The discussion was to brief Representatives and Senators about the vital importance of immunization as one of the most cost-effective tools for preventing illnesses and disabilities and saving lives, especially to children.

The forum provided explanation to the Legislature on the difficulties in ensuring adequate funding for this vital program and the need to achieve sustainable immunization financing (SIF). The half day interactive discussion with the Lawmakers highlighted the importance of relevant legislation that can provide the framework for achieving SIF.

The forum understandably aimed at exploring the willingness and resilience of the Lawmakers in reviewing the existing draft immunization legislation in Liberia and to determine how best Representatives and Senators can support the revision and promulgation of the draft immunization legislation with a view to utilizing it as a guide for achieving SIF in Liberia.

The MOHSW team was headed by Hon. Tolbert G. Nyenswah, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Welfare. He served as a facilitator. Dr. Peter Coleman, Senator of Grand Kru County is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, while Hon. Corpu Barclay serves as Chairperson on the House Committee on Health and Social Welfare respectively.

Hon. Corpu Barclay on behalf of the Joint Committee of the both Houses called for the establishment of Legislation for sustainable immunization program that will address early childhood diseases.

She maintained that if Liberia must eradicate common childhood diseases such as polio, malaria and yellow fever in Liberia, there is a need to put in place some mechanism for a National Immunization Legislation.

She called for collective interaction to protect the lives of Liberian children who are the future leaders of the country, Liberia.