PHOTO: Four of the six recipients of the one-year scholarship on hearing health in Zambia
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
Six Liberians medical practitioners have been awarded a one-year scholarships by Church Aide Incorporated, with funding from the Starley Hearing Foundation based in the United States to attend the Starley Hearing Institute in Lusaka, Zambia.
Four out of the six medical practitioners are expected to depart Liberia are Magdalene Konneh, from the John F Kennedy Hospital; Hannah Newah, Government Hospital, Tubmanburg, Bomi County; Moses Bimah and Dargai Porkpali, both from Curran Hospital, Lofa County.
Speaking during the visit of Don Martin and delegation from Minnesota, United States held in Brewerville, the Chairman of the board of Director of Church Aid Incorporated appealed to the national legislature to allot funding to the Church Aid Incorporated in the proposed national budget in order to train people in order to establish similar institution in Liberia.
Bishop Kortu Brown, who is the former President of the Liberia Council of Churches spoke of the significance of having Liberian medical practitioners trained at the Starley Hearing Institute so as to deploy them in hospitals around the country.
He cautioned the beneficiaries to take advantage of the scholarships awarded them in order to encourage the Starley Hearing Foundation in the United States to invest more in other Liberians to receive similar training.
Ron Martin (Left) during the program Bishop Kortu Brown (Right)
Earlier in remarks, the head of the Starley Hearing Foundation delegation, Ron Martin, said he hope that the training of the first batch of Liberians will create the avenue for which hearing healthcare training institute can be opened in Liberia.
According to him, it will cost $72,000 United States Dollars to train the four scholarship recipients for one year at the Starley Hearing Institute in Zambia.
Mr. Martin then presented four brand computers to the four medical practitioners because the training starts as soon as they arrive in Zambia.
Speaking on behalf of the scholarship recipients, Magdalene Konneh thanked Bishop Brown and Starley Hearing Foundation in the United States for the scholarships.
She assured them that they will do all they can to acquire the knowledge in order to impact their skills on their colleagues in Liberia upon their return and heal the hearing illnesses in Liberia.
Other members of the delegation were Robin Brooksbank , the Administrative Officers and Jeffery O’Donnell,
The program was graced by Senator Semion Taylor of Grand Cape Mount County, Mother Mariama Brown, Executive Director of the Concern Christian Community; Dr. Emmanuel Singbe, Chief Medical Statff, Curran Lutheran Hospital, among others.