The Ministry of Health (MOH), through its Bureau of Vital Statistics, has launched a nationwide Birth Registration Training Program aimed at improving birth registration rates and enhancing Liberia's Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system.
The program, held in the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, runs from February 26 to March 6, 2025, and targets healthcare professionals across multiple counties.
The initiative, themed "Gender-Integrated CRVS Enhancement for Liberia," is sponsored by Vital Strategies and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Its primary objective is to promote gender equity and strengthen protection for midwives and nurses by providing specialized training. The program also aims to foster a community-driven approach to birth registration, ensuring that every child in Liberia is registered at birth and granted legal identity.
The training is structured into three cohorts to ensure broad national coverage. The first cohort includes healthcare workers from Rivercess, Grand Bassa, and Montserrado counties; the second cohort targets participants from Bomi, Sinoe, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, and Bong counties; while the third cohort focuses on professionals from Lofa, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, and Grand Kru counties.
Participants undergo an intensive three-day training on birth registration protocols, data collection, and reporting processes. The program also emphasizes the importance of early birth registration in securing children's legal identities, ensuring access to healthcare and education, and safeguarding their rights under both national and international legal frameworks.
Dr. Anthony L. Fortune, Assistant Minister for Vital Statistics at the Ministry of Health, emphasized that birth registration is a fundamental human right and a critical tool for national development. He acknowledged that logistical challenges, limited awareness, and resource constraints have contributed to the low birth registration rates across Liberia.
"By empowering midwives and nurses, who are often the first point of contact for newborns and their families, this program will bridge the gap and create a more inclusive and efficient birth registration system," Dr. Fortune stated. He called on participants to take ownership of the initiative and play a pivotal role in strengthening Liberia's birth registration infrastructure.
Dr. Fortune further stressed that a well-functioning CRVS system enables the government to allocate resources more effectively, design informed health and education policies, and deliver social protection for the country's most vulnerable populations.
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Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, Grand Bassa County Health Officer Dr. Jude Gardea Wesseh reaffirmed the government's commitment to improving the CRVS system. He highlighted how the initiative aligns with broader national efforts to enhance data accuracy and policy planning across Liberia.
"This program not only ensures that every Liberian child is granted a legal identity but also supports evidence-based policymaking and national planning," Dr. Wesseh noted.
As part of its long-term strategy, the Ministry of Health is partnering with local governments, community leaders, and international development agencies to expand public awareness campaigns and remove existing barriers to birth registration.
The Ministry also issued a call to action for traditional leaders, civil society organizations, and donor agencies to support the initiative. Dr. Fortune stressed that achieving universal birth registration requires collective effort and sustained collaboration.
"When every child is registered at birth, we empower future generations, ensure their rights are protected, and lay the foundation for a stronger, more equitable Liberia," Dr. Fortune concluded.
The Birth Registration Training Program is part of the Ministry's broader agenda to ensure that no child is left behind, promoting legal identity and access to essential services for all Liberians.
