Liberia
For better medical care
As a result of the Ebola epidemic, health care in Liberia completely collapsed. Even today, many sick people do not receive medical care. Difäm promotes the education and training of health workers as well as the establishment of central pharmacies for the supply of medicines and contributes to the stabilisation of the health system.
Medicines and medical training for professionals in Liberia
The West African country of Liberia is located directly on the Atlantic coast and borders Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Ivory Coast. Africa's oldest republic suffered 14 years of violent civil war, which ended in 2003 and left deep scars: a poor infrastructure, a lack of clean drinking water, and even the electricity supply does not work properly. Today, Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world, with more than half of its nearly five million inhabitants living below the poverty line. The small, densely packed huts and houses with corrugated iron roofs in the slums of the capital Monrovia and the few tarred roads speak for themselves.
In 2014, Liberia was one of the countries that were most severely affected by the Ebola epidemic. Many health workers also fell victim to the virus. Health care collapsed and could only be rebuilt slowly so far. Even today, people in many places remain without medical care: because there is not enough qualified staff, the distances to the health stations are too far, the treatment is too expensive or necessary medicines are missing.
Together for health
The churches play an important role in health care in Liberia. Together with the Christian Health Network in Liberia (CHAL), DIFÄM promotes the development of comprehensive health care, especially in rural regions, for example by educating and training health workers in basic health and hygiene measures. For the nationwide supply of high-quality medicines, we are jointly setting up central pharmacies and training pharmaceutical staff in the procurement and storage of medicines. These various measures contribute to the long-term stabilisation of the health system in West Africa.
Since the Corona pandemic, DIFÄM has been supporting CHAL's member institutions in the prevention and care of people with Corona and helps the network to improve vaccination awareness and to ensure good vaccination protection, especially among health workers.
