Abstract
Objectives: The Government of Liberia has set ambitious national health targets for 2021 to reduce the high maternal, newborn, and child mortality rate and to improve the related health services. Additionally, Sustainable Development Goal 3 provides a long-term target for 2030. The objective of this article is to analyze the gaps between the targets and collected data.Materials and Methods: Relevant national documents were scrutinized to identify targets and related indicators which can serve as benchmarks for future achievements in Liberia's maternal, newborn, and child health. For each indicator, progress observed will be compared with that needed to meet the target, based on the indicator value in a baseline year, a later observed value, and the expected value in 2021 and 2030, respectively.Results: The Gap Analysis reveals achievements and serious delays for 21 health and health system indicators. Based on national data the reduction of the maternal mortality ratio will take an additional −8.2 years for the 2021 target and −12.5 years for the 2030 target. The Neonatal Mortality rate is experiencing similar delays of −7.9 years for 2021 and −12.9 for 2030 whereas the targets for the Under-5-Mortality rate can be achieved with small delays of −1.8 and −1.7 years.Conclusions: The Government of Liberia requires persistent efforts and international support to achieve its national targets and the Sustainable Development Goal 3 for health.
Highlights
Liberia, a small Anglophone coastal country in West-Africa, to mean “Land of the Free,” was founded by freed American slaves who were sponsored to settle in Africa as early as 1822
The Gap Analysis follows the structure of the Liberian Investment Plan for Building Resilient Health System (2015– 2021) [5]: the “main goal, purpose, and outputs per investment area.”
The 2013 national health survey data predicts that Liberia will need an additional 8 years to achieve the desired target, while the 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) estimates predict the national target will be achieved with less than half year delay
Summary
A small Anglophone coastal country in West-Africa, to mean “Land of the Free,” was founded by freed American slaves who were sponsored to settle in Africa as early as 1822. Annexation of land from the indigenous tribes enabled the country to be formed until statehood was declared 1847. The population is comprised of the descendants of the immigration from the United States and of 17 major tribal affiliations, the majority being Christians, a minority of about one-tenth are Muslims. The lack of full integration of the indigenes was the main trigger for the civil war beginning on Christmas Eve in 1989 and lasting until 2003. The enduring confrontation of up to 8 military factions generated a death toll of about 18% of the population of 4.5 million and nearly one million displaced persons [1, 2]. The disabled former combatants begging on the urban streets today tell a moving life experience “in their own words” [3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
