Reports from Maryland County in southeastern Liberia say an Ambulance driver along with two other persons have died in a tragic motor accident, while a patient was being transferred to the J. J. Dossen referral hospital in the capital city, Harper over the weekend.
According to the reports, the ambulance which is completely damaged beyond repair, came from Fish Town River Gee County transferring a patient who had gone through a C-section operation after a child died before the mother could deliver by herself.
A family member had requested health authorities to transfer their daughter to Maryland County for further treatment at the J. J. Dossen hospital.
When the request was made by family members of patient, health authorities agreed to transfer the patient based on the request made by her family members.
Seven persons were said to be on broad the ambulance including family members of the patient.
But when the ambulance approached Tubman farm in Pleebo, Maryland County, in the curve a truck belonging to China Railway was over taking a taxi that was ahead of it and ran in the ambulance, leaving the driver and the two other persons dead.
The rest of the passengers are said to be in critical condition at the J. J. Dossen hospital.
However, the mother of the patient who hailed from Grand Kru County and also a certified Midwife and was also on broad in ambulance, also died in the accident.
When contacted, Liberia’s Chief Medical officer Dr. Francis S. Keteh said it was the family member of the patient who requested the transfer of their daughter.
Dr. Keteh disclosed that after the C-section was done, the patient had infection in her uterus and family members were told to be buying plaster to cover where the C-section was done.
But family members had said they were unable to be buying it but rather told health authorities that they have a relative in Maryland County.
He said they only requested health authorities to transfer them to Maryland County, which agreed to do that.
Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer maintained that the situation of the patient was not an emergency issue that could not be handled by the hospital, but based on their request, health authorities agreed to transfer them.
Dr. Keteh said the damaged ambulance was the only ambulance in the county to transport patients from one part of the county to another.
The Health Ministry official has meanwhile requested the Police to probe the situation, and if the company is held liable they should immediately pay for the ambulance. Report by Never G. Lomo