WFP Liberia Completes Installation of Video Conferencing System at NPHIL to Reduce Crowded Meetings

Monrovia – As part of efforts to support the Government of Liberia to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Food Programme (WFP) in Liberia has completed the installation of a video conferencing system at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL). NPHIL is the central coordination point of the Incident Management System (IMS) that is leading the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The facility will limit the number of people present in the hall for meetings, in compliance with enhancing the social distancing requirements by the government.

WFP Representative and Country Director, Ms. Karla Hershey, said the World Food Programme is in full readiness to assist the government and people of Liberia to roll back the coronavirus attack. “The World Food Programme stands by the people of Liberia and their government during this emergency. Emergency telecommunications (ETC) is instrumental in allowing for a consistent and reliable flow of information among partners to respond flexibly and concertedly to leave no one behind. This is even more critical in the context of COVID-19, where ETC contributes to complying with social distancing measures and ensuring the safety of all stakeholders involved in the response. In addition to the video conferencing system, WFP is providing quality internet services at the Liberia Institute of Biomedical Research (LIBR) in Marshall, Margibi County where COVD-19 Page 2 of 2 tests are taking place and nearing the completion of the construction of a mobile storage unit at LIBR.”

Since the outbreak of coronavirus in Liberia last week, WFP has been at the forefront of providing essential logistics, emergency telecommunications, and warehousing support to the governmentled response. In a related development, WFP is currently prepositioning over 1,700 metric tons of assorted food items in Nimba and Maryland Counties for distribution to students as take-home rations as part of the national home-grown school feeding programme should the closure of schools last longer than expected.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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For more information please contact:

Edoardo Tancioni, WFP Liberia, Tel 0776500207, E-mail edoardo.tancioni@wfp.org

John Monibah, WFP/Liberia, Tel. +231776737521, E-mail: john.monibah@wfp.org

Kabeh F. Enders, WFP/Liberia, Tel. +231776500257, E-mail: kabeh.enders@wfp.org.