The mission of the Ministry of Health is to reform and manage the sector to effectively and efficiently deliver comprehensive, quality health services that are equitable, accessible and sustainable for all the people in Liberia. The neglected tropical disease programme was included in the National Health Plan (2011 to 2021) as one of the Essential Health Packages for intervention.
The programme’s strategy relies on an integrated program with onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis (LF), soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and schistosomiasis. Mass Drug Administration (MDA) for LF and STH are being added to the onchocerciasis community directed treatment of Ivermectin (CDTI) platform, which covers the entire country. The programme has successfully completed two rounds of MDA in endemic counties with not less than 80% treatment coverage for LF and onchocerciasis, and 75% for schistosomiasis . Success is enhanced by the relatively small size ofthe country of about 3.4 million people, and a decentralized health system that enables counties to plan and implement their own neglected tropical disease interventions. Negelcted tropical disease interventions in Liberia are based on multi-year plan which focus is to continue micro-planning and coordination of various interventions, supervision, monitoring and evaluation. Additionally, researches to guide the implementation that will lead us to successful 2020 goal of elimination are priority of the Ministry of Health. Currently, the neglected tropical disease programme consists of one Program Director, one National coordinator of each or two diseases (5 coordinators) and two support staff at central MOH. Because of the decentralized nature of the health system, there are NTD focal points in each of the 15 counties working with others; making up the county health team.
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