The United States has donated 1,200 Viral Test Medium to help Liberia respond to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.  The Medium will be used to store and transport COVID-19 test samples so that they are not contaminated.  This significantly increases the chance of recovering the COVID-19 Virus if it is present in the samples, thereby helping to ensure the accuracy of COVID testing.

The Charge d’affaires at the United States Embassy in Monrovia, Alyson Grunder, presented the Medium to the Liberian Health Minister, Dr.  Wilhelmina Jallah, today at a ceremony at the Health Ministry in Congotown. 

She said in addition to helping to improve the quality of testing, the United States assistance to Liberia’s COVID-19 response efforts includes support for case management and strengthening clinical care in Montserrado County; availability of prevention and control and technical assistance in selected counties; as well as contact tracing and public health messaging for COVID prevention.  She added that this assistance is made possible through the provision of approximately $1 million to Liberia in addition to the $40 million the United State provides annually to strengthen the Liberian healthcare system.

The U.S. Charge d'affaires then urged Liberians to contribute to the national effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Virus “by taking advantage of the opportunities for testing that the government and its partners have made available.”

Receiving the 1,000 Viral Test Medium on behalf of the Government of Liberia, Health Minister Jallah thanked the People and Government of the United States for their assistance to Liberia’s COVID response efforts and the overall strengthening of the country’s healthcare system.