Community Forestry Development Committees Launch Healthcare Services for Lower Nimba Forest Communities

Duazohn, Margibi County, Liberia 09/27/2024 – In a groundbreaking initiative, one of the Community Forestry Development Committees (CFDCs), a member of the National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees (NUCFDCs), has commenced the provision of quality healthcare services to over twenty forest communities in Lower Nimba. This marks the first time these communities, located within the Forest Management Contract (FMC) Area K, have access to such services since their establishment.

The CFDC utilized a portion of community forest resources to construct a healthcare center in Tiah Town, one of the affected communities. The center is equipped with essential drugs, medical supplies, and non-medical materials, and has employed nine workers for a period of twelve months, with plans for government takeover after this initial sponsorship phase.

Doru, a remote chiefdom in Lower Nimba, has lacked healthcare facilities since Liberia’s founding. Residents have had to rely solely on divine mercy or travel over five hours to access healthcare services in the nearby River Cess County. The opening of the healthcare center promises to alleviate these challenges, particularly benefiting women, children, and the elderly who can now seek medical attention with reduced stress and expense.

The project is funded by the National Benefit Sharing Board and was developed through collaboration between the NUCFDCs, the Nimba County Health Team, the CFDC, and local communities. The total cost of constructing and operationalizing the clinic is nearly two hundred thousand United States dollars, which includes funding for the first twelve months of service.

Although the official dedication and opening ceremony is scheduled for some time this year, the clinic is provisionally open to the public, with all essential drugs and medical materials readily available. The team is currently awaiting road improvements prior to the formal inauguration.

The NUCFDCs have hailed this initiative as a significant achievement and a realization of their vision to leverage forest resource benefits to enhance healthcare access, a responsibility traditionally held by the national government.

In light of this development, the NUCFDCs is urging the Liberian government to ensure that affected communities receive their share of land rental fees. This funding would empower communities to make decisions on how their resources should be utilized for their benefit. As it stands, there have been no payments made by the Government of Liberia from the 2024 National Budget to these communities, despite an allocation of just over seven hundred United States dollars.

This initiative stands as a testament to the power of community action and collaboration in addressing critical healthcare needs in Liberia’s underserved areas.

Meanwhile, the NUCFDCs is calling on well-meaning Liberians, especially the Citizens of Gbi-Doru, the lawmakers of Nimba, the National Government and International partners to support these efforts of the communities in order to advance and sustain these critical healthcare services for these communities.