The Impact of Covid-19 in Liberia: A Case Study of Monrovia (January 2020-December 2023)

Abstract

 Background: In 130 years, there have been five pandemics related to coronavirus (Maital, 2020). An epidemic of mysterious pneumonia was characterized by dry cough, fever, and body fatigue in late December 2019(Wu et al., 2020). The situation posed additional risks and challenges to the populace, increasing physical illness (Kmetty, 2020). The spread of COVID-19 across Africa created a considerable impact ranging from economic cybertage, starvation, and educational setbacks (Webmaster, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic occurred in Liberia five years after ebola and during the Resilient and Responsive Health Systems (RRHS) designed to support Liberia's national health workforce to improve health outcomes (Marsh et al., 2021).  Methodology: The research used a descriptive case study design to explain concepts, policies, and tools related to identified problems. Since the impact of COVID-19 reflects not only on survival but also on relatives, the research considered the population of Monrovia. Monrovia's current metro area population in 2023 is 1,678,000(Macrotrends, 2023). The study considered Liberia the main case, with Monrovia and Montserrado County as specific Sub-cases. The purposive sampling technique was used to ensure the representation of various socio-economic groups, including urban and rural areas and different regions within Monrovia. The research used a 95% CI and Slovins's formula to derive a sample size of 400. Questionnaires were used to collect field data. The data herein includes documentary analysis, interviews/surveys, and observations. The data was analyzed using SPSS and narratives of qualitative findings.  Findings: This data suggests that a large portion of the population has been affected by job loss or reduced employment opportunities due to the pandemic. Overall, the data reflects the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the employment status of individuals in Liberia.  Recommendations: The study proposes improvements to Liberia's public health sector, including better risk-benefit policies, salary increments, and training/deployment of healthcare professionals.