In Tappita, Nimba County
By E. Festus G. Frazer Jr, efgfrazerjr@gmail.com
TAPPITA, Liberia- As Liberia’s Coronavirus infections reaches 1, 024, the Jackson F. For Hospital in Tappita, Nimba County has recorded three news cases of COVID – 19, the lead Doctor of the hospital’s COVID-19 Team said here on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
This area is 337 kilometers northeast of Monrovia.
The last National Public Health Institute (NPHIL) COVID-19 Update on July 12, 2020 put the number of confirmed cases in Nimba at 47 then. Nationally, the total number of deaths stood at 51 as of July 12.
Dr. Momolu Massaley said the three new cases involved three men from Tappita City and its environs.
He said, two of the three cases are from Tappita, while the other one is from a nearby village. Two of the three cases are health workers working for the Consolata clinic in Tappita.
“We have three new confirmed coronavirus cases here at the hospital. Out of the three cases, two are from this town, Tappita and are health workers at the consolata clinic, while the other one is from a nearby village.”
Commenting further, Dr. Massaley outlined challenges confronting the institution. He named limited number of staff at the hospital and the holding center as well as limited financial resources as challenges confronting the hospital.
When quizzed by reporters about the upkeep of those at the holding center,,Dr. Massaley disclosed that there is no budgetary allocation for those at the center. He furthered that even doctors are using their own finances to cater to those at the center.
“The government has not made any budgetary allocation for those that we are keeping here. We were only mandated to keep those infected with the virus here and treat them. Even Drs. that are taking care of them sometimes use our own money to help them,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, contact tracing for possible contacts has begun. He said the District health team has since started tracing possible contacts who may have encountered the infected individuals.
The Jackson F. Doe reported it’s index case in March 2020, after Don Patrick, a Liberian residing in the US returned to pay the dowry of his fiance died in Zuotuo a town located some 50Km away from Tappita.
He was followed by many others including Liberia’s only Journalist who tested positive of the virus on April 19, 2020.