As the Liberian health system recovers from the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, the Liberian Ministry of Health is focusing on strengthening the health system as a top priority. In support of this aim, JSI is working with the Ministry of Health over a six-month period, January through July 2016, on the Rebuilding Essential Health Services (REHS) project, funded by the World Bank. The primary objective of the REHS project is to support the restoration of essential health services in 24 health centers in nine counties.
The REHS project comprises two closely linked components. The first overarching component is to restore essential health services, specifically through quality assurance and improvement activities focusing on infection prevention and control, emergency clinical care, and standard operating procedures for health workers, support staff and health facility management, and screening/triage and referral system strengthening. The second component focuses on infrastructure, and involves conducting facility assessments and addressing identified and prioritized gaps to ensure that physical space and appropriate infrastructure exists to support effective, sustainable screening and triage systems. The project is establishing Ministry of Health-approved triage and isolation units in prioritized health centers to ensure that patients with diseases of epidemic potential, including Ebola, are identified and isolated properly. Additionally, the project is installing water catchment tanks to provide a water source in prioritized facilities.
While the project has a limited time frame, it is expected that initial gains made will enable health facility staff and County Health Teams to drive quality assurance and improvement activities following the REHS project.
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