Liberia: Gov’t, WaterAid launch Life-Saving SWISH Project to Transform Healthcare with Clean Water, Sanitation and Hygiene - FrontPageAfrica

Monrovia – The Government of Liberia (GoL), together with the international non-profit WaterAid, has officially launched a seven-year initiative aimed at integrating Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services directly into Liberia’s struggling healthcare facilities to help improve health outcomes.

By Francis G. Boayue

The initiative will be implemented through the multi country- Liberia, Pakistan, and Zambia – Strengthening Holistic and Inclusive Systems for Health (SWISH) Project.

It will reach over 2 million people, including over 12,400 in Liberia, ensuring no one’s health is endangered by lack of clean water, decent toilets or good hygiene at health care facilities.

In Liberia, SWISH will be implemented under a partnership framework involving the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), the Government of Canada, WaterAid, and Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI). Targeted healthcare facilities and communities in Careysburg and Todee Districts in rural Montserrado County will be directly reached. It will reduce preventable infections and improve inclusive maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services.

It is part of the Resilient Health Systems for All Programme by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) strengthening health systems in vulnerable regions around the world.

WaterAid Liberia Country Director, Chuchu Selma, described the initiative as a critical step toward ending Liberia’s WASH crisis.

“Our mission is clear: we want to end the WASH crisis for everyone, everywhere,” he said. “Liberia loses an estimated US$231 million annually—about 5% of its GDP—due to poor sanitation and hygiene. Investments like SWISH can reverse such economic losses.”

Mr. Selma also emphasized the human cost of inadequate WASH services. “No woman should die giving birth due to lack of clean water, and no girl should miss school because her school lacks safe toilets adding that every Liberian deserves a life of health and dignity powered by sustainable WASH services,” he added.

Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Catherine T. Cooper, delivered the keynote address, on Wednesday, terming the SWISH project “timely and life-saving.”

She warned that without access to clean water, health facilities remain vulnerable to infections.

“Access to safe water and sanitation in healthcare settings is not optional; it is essential for quality service delivery, especially in maternal care,” she said.

Dr. Jewel Tarpeh Kollie, Montserrado County Health Officer, officially launched the project, expressing gratitude for the focus on rural communities. “This project brings hope. It’s not just about building systems, but empowering communities to sustain them. Together, we can ‘SWISH’ to a healthier, stronger Liberia,” she said.

 CHI Executive Director Naomi Tulay-Solanke reaffirmed the importance of community engagement.

“When communities have knowledge, they have power. They can make informed decisions and hold systems accountable,” she said, stressing transparency and local ownership.

NPHIL’s Amos F. Gborie announced the deployment of a dedicated monitoring team to track the project’s impact on reducing maternal and child mortality rates.