Liberia
In Liberia, at the end of the war, little of the health infrastructure was left functioning: 242 out of 293 public health facilities had been looted or forced to close because of lack of staff or supplies. Fewer than 10% of Liberians had access to any kind of health care. Only 24 medical officers and 175 physicians' assistants remained in the country.
The health situation in Liberia remains alarming. Access to basic health services continues to be practically non-existent, contributing to the country’s high infant and child mortality rates (amongst the highest in the world).
Recent assessments into newly accessible areas reveal that all national programmes—for prevention, primary health care, basic curative care, reproductive health, referral services, supply of drugs and logistics, and ambulance services—have collapsed. Meanwhile, urgent public health priorities such as strengthening disease surveillance, increasing immunization coverage, and addressing malnutrition and HIV/AIDs demand immediate interventions.