PAYNESVILLE
Population: 300,000 (2013 estimate)
Paynesville, a growing suburban city east of the Liberian capital of Monrovia, faces a host of public health challenges caused by its difficulties with water management.
Poor sewage and drainage systems, coupled with heavy rainfall result in the contamination of clean water and create breeding grounds for mosquitoes infected with malaria. The city is working with the national government to better map existing water access to ensure that each community is connected to the main water system.
Paynesville is also vulnerable to the outbreak of disease as demonstrated by the city’s experience with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in 2014. During the crisis, Paynesville worked quickly with international organizations to provide education and hygiene supplies to affected communities.
Despite fiscal limitations, the city has also constructed several modern latrines, permanent hand-washing stations, and other public health services in an attempt to increase its resilience to future public health challenges.
