August 3, 2022-As LNRCS launches COVID-19 vaccination campaign and intensifies RCCE in Liberia
The Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) with support from the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has launched a COVID-19 vaccination awareness campaign in four counties of Liberia including Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Bassa, and Bomi. The LNRCS as a humanitarian organization has been deeply involved since the outbreak and continues to fully collaborate with the Government and partners in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Qatar Red Crescent’s support of the Liberian Red Cross is an added boost to the ongoing national efforts to stop further transmission and spread of the COVID-19 virus in Liberia. The Liberia National Red Cross Society and the Qatar Red Crescent Society signed a partnership agreement in July 2019 to launch joint humanitarian activities to assist vulnerable people and communities in Liberia.
“We, therefore, appreciate the great generosity of the Qatar Red Crescent toward our COVID-19 operation. This support has enabled us to further our response efforts in the areas of Risk Communication and Community Engagement, Psychosocial Support Services, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene activities.
This support is extremely invaluable to us, and we sincerely appreciate the gesture” the LNRCS Secretary General, Gregory T. Blamoh acknowledged. The LNRCS has already trained and deployed additional volunteers in communities in the counties to increase health awareness, conduct Risk Communication, and Community Engagement (RCCE) activities, and encourage community members to turnout for the covid-19 vaccination. As part of the campaign activities, the LNRCS volunteers through the support of the Qatar Red Crescent are also encouraging the public to adopt safe health practices.
“This is a crucial part of the fight against the spread of the virus in Liberia”, Mr. Gregory T. Blamoh, LNRCS Secretary-General has said. Since the outbreak, Liberia has confirmed 7,505 COVID-19 cases and recorded 294 deaths. As of July 2022, Liberia has received through COVAX, 4.98 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines of the two types that have been approved by WHO to be used in Liberia including the AstraZeneca vaccine and Johnson and Johnson.
At the moment in Liberia, resistance to vaccination and contending with misconceptions and myths are key challenges in the fight. As a result, Liberia is yet to achieve its global target of 70% of vaccination of its population because many people are still reluctant to get vaccinated. However, at least 2.6 million people have received one dose representing 52.3% of the population while 2.33 million people have been fully vaccinated constituting 46.0% of the total population of Liberia.
Liberia has dreamed of attaining the global target of fully vaccinating 70% of its total population against COVID-19 by mid-year. But with the QRC support, the LNRCS is engaging communities with robust response actions by scaling up awareness and sensitization through enhanced risk communication and social mobilization activities in both urban and rural areas.
The LNRCS’ latest COVID-19 response activities will cover more than 25 thousand people from 660 households in the four targeted counties. The latest support from the Qatar Red Crescent is a boost to the Liberian Red Cross’ Community awareness, risk communication, and social mobilization activities aimed at increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake, and increasing vaccine confidence.
