On Sunday, May 17, the Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhemina Jallah flunked by the Chief Medical Officer Dr. Francis Kateh, followed by the WHO Representative to Liberia Peter Clement, Dr. Desmond William head of US Center for Disease Control (CDC) in West Africa and Liberia and USAID Resident Coordinator trooped to the sample collection center at the Samuel Kayon Doe Sport Complex for voluntary COVID-19 test.

Where the Leadership first failed

In April, the head of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) Dr. Mosoka Fallah, who began the COVID-19 fight alongside Dr. Jallah, was called on by the public to voluntarily check his COVID-19 status.

Israel's health minister, who has had frequent contact with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, tested positive for COVID-19, Iran's health ministry informed in April.

Australia's home affairs minister Peter Dutton said he had tested positive on March 13 and was admitted to hospital in the northeastern state of Queensland

For many, the voluntary testing today by the health minister, the chief medical officer and key international players is long overdue.

The Health Minister's statement that "If everybody sits complacently in their different neighborhood and think they're different or they're special - COVID-19 has no respect," raises the question as to why the President and his cabinet did not take the lead in this voluntary testing?