By Charles Gbayor, maorethason1997@gmail.com
HARPER, Liberia- The Cummings Africa Foundation has donated several assorted drugs to various health institutions in the south-eastern Maryland county.
The distribution exercise began on Wednesday and ended on Thursday, February 10, 2022.
Beneficiaries include all four administrative districts of the county, namely; Harper, Pleebo, Karluway and Barrobo, respectively.
The Foundation is owned by the political leader of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), Mr. Alexander B. Cummings.
Mr. Cummings, a native of Maryland County and former presidential candidate, seeks to defeat President George Weah’s governing Coalition for Democratic Change at the next poll in 2023
In district one, Harper City, the Foundation identified with the government-run J.J. Dosson Referral hospital, while in Pleebo Sodoken district (district#2) the Pleebo Health Center received assorted drugs.
The exercise also covered Pogbaken and Karloken clinics in Karluway District#3 followed by Gbanwiliken and Glofaken clinics in district#3, respectively.
The Foundation has also identified with the administration of the William V.S. Tubman University.
Dr. Wede Elliot Brownell, country director, says the gesture is the Foundation’s way of identifying with Liberians.
Dr. Brownell details the assorted drugs donated to JJ Dossen Referral hospital include 25 boxes of Malaria tablets, 5 boxes of Azithromycin, 150 packs of Vitamin C’, 9 boxes of Paracetamol tablets, 50 bottles of Selenium, 100 boxes of Zinc tablets, 7 cartons of Alcohol bottles, 3 cartons of Sanitizers, 10 cartons of clora bleach, 6 cartons of bars fresh spring soap, 3 cartons of bars medical soap, 7 cartons of laundry soap, 1 carton of plastic beg pads, 2 packs of skin ointment, 1 oxygen concentrator, 3 oxygen regulator, 10,000 pieces of nose masks and 5,000, 000 pieces of groves, amongst others.
The Cummings Africa Foundation’s Country Director has revealed that more donations are ahead but cautions administrators of the benefiting institutions to use the items for the intended purpose.
“We can assure the people of Maryland that the Cummings Africa Foundation is ready to deliver or help our people,” she assures.
She expresses delight that Maryland county is getting something about this time and the beneficiaries should appreciate the Cummings Foundation.
“I am sorry that this is late coming but as my old Aunt usually says, donations are never late; they are always on time.”
For her part, Mrs. Theresa Cummings, wife of Mr. Alexander B. Cummings commended the people of Maryland specifically, the administrations of those health facilities for their support to the people of the county.
“Let me say on behalf of my husband Alexander B. Cummings, thank you for accepting these little items from the Cummings Africa Foundation, we remain committed to supporting our people across the country,” Madam Cummings says.
He explains that the items should’ve arrived in the county long since but the deplorable road condition in the southeast caused delay.
Receiving the items, Madam Julia Natt, administrator of JJ Dossen Referral hospital said, the donation is neither the first nor the second from the Foundation, recalling that when Madam Fatu Kainima headed the Foundation, it identified with the hospital for the first time and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Eric Giko provide rice and IPC supply to the hospital.
“So today donation is the third time for the Cummings Africa Foundation to identify with the hospital. We are overwhelmed, grateful and happy to know that the Cummings Foundation is away thinking about the hospital in the county”, she notes.
“So on behalf of the administration of JJ Dossen Referral hospital, CHO Dr. George who could have loved being here but due to other basis schedules he isn’t here and the Management and staffs, including our patients, we want to say thank to the Cummings Africa Foundation for their supports to our health sector in the county”.
Mrs. Natt added that despite the road condition, Mrs. Cummings has tried to join the delegation to reach the county, noting that the items presented with be used for the intended purpose.
Other administrators said the items will serve as a relief to the sector, disclosing that clinics in the county have been down for several months due to a lack of drugs.