President Joseph N. Boakai has frowned on teenage girls for getting pregnant rather than focusing on their education to help rebuild Liberia. The Liberian leader wants teenagers to prevent early pregnancy where they would be forced to drop out of schools to work in order to support themselves and their kids, but instead, wants teenagers to go to school to acquire an education that will help to build Liberia.
According to him, when teenagers are educated, they will feel proud of themselves as well as being productive citizens of Liberia. The President made these remarks when he dedicated the newly refurbished Maternal Ward of the Pipeline Health Center which was renovated by First Lady Madam Kartumu Yarta Boakai in Paynesville.
The president called on the administrators of the Pipeline Health Center to take proper care of the hospital, most especially, the newly renovated maternal ward. “When you go to a hospital, the first thing you think of is the condition of the place. If you are in need of something that this hospital cannot afford, please call on the Ministry of Health,” he said, while revealing plans to ensure nurses have their own buses for work.
According to the president, Liberia will never move backward and citizens can expect to get a good life in a not too distant future. He vowed that his government will give health workers a fair treatment that will enable them to benefit from what they have learned.
President Boakai said his government is working to ensure Liberia reaches a stage where a responsible leadership will provide for citizens ensuring their protection. For her part, First Lady Madam Boakai said the transformation of the facility is a symbol of her resilience, hope and the power of partnership, and a reminder of a collective responsibility to address critical challenges of maternal mortality in Liberia.
Madam Boakai said when she first visited the hospital, it was in a deployable state and unfit to serve pregnant women and newborn babies. According to her, as a First Lady, it is her responsibility to ensure no woman in Liberia faces the danger of childbirth without the care she deserves.
“Every woman should be able to approach the maternal room with confidence, knowing that she will have the right care, support and the promise of returning home safely with her baby in her hands,” she said. Madam Boakai said ending harmful practices and ensuring access to quality care and empowering women to make choices above their health are essential to Liberia. She said the government will work to ensure that no woman or girl is left behind so that every pregnancy can be a celebration, not a source of fear, but a place where every child is welcome in the world with joy and love.
