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War Wrecks Liberia Health Care System
Women, minorities affected most ... oh sorry, thought this was the New York Times. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - After more than a decade of war, less than 10 percent of Liberians have access to health care and only about 25 percent have access to safe drinking water, the U.N. Environment Program said Friday. Brilliant! Holmes, how do you do it? In 2003, just 25 doctors were working in Liberiaâs public health system and the nation of 3.3 million had only one functioning sewage system, UNEP said in a report. "And itâs backed up!" "The impact of conflict on Liberiaâs human and urban environments cannot be overstated. During 14 years of war, one in three Liberians has been displaced (and) more than half a million remain in temporary housing or camps," the report, "Desk Study on the Environment in Liberia," said. Wonder what the per diem was for writing that? Klaus Toepfer, UNEPâs executive director, said the key to Liberiaâs reconstruction was protecting its forests, which he described as "the asset of this country." A U.N. Security Council ban on Liberiaâs timber trade took effect July 5 to prevent Taylorâs government from chopping down protected forests to finance rebel groups in the region. Toepfer said the ban should remain in place until the troubled country has an effective and independent forest authority. With the UNâs help that will be in about 25 years. Liberiaâs forestry and logging sector made up nearly 26 percent of the countryâs gross domestic product and almost 58 percent of export revenue in 2002, according to the International Monetary Fund. Posted by: Steve White 2004-02-14 |
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