By Mary Esson & Jenkins Mabande in Grand Cape Mount, Liberia
The only public referral hospital in Liberia’s Western Grand Cape Mount County has been in darkness for three months now, something that has alarmed people in that area.
Health workers are forced to use torchlight at night to carry on delivery and other operations at the hospital, which is 140 kilometers from Monrovia.
Residents of the provincial capital, Robertsports have frowned at the County’s authorities and lawmakers for allowing the St. Timothy Government Hospital to remain in for such a protracted period, creating a nightmare for the locals.
A resident in Robertsports Bendu Massalay, told local reporters that health workers at the St. Timothy Government Hospital demanded her to buy a small battery powered “Chinese light” before her ill daughter could be attended to, something she said was not good at all.
Some patients seeking dire medical attention at the health facility, especially cases that require surgery are told to buy fuel for the generator, inorder for doctors at the hospital to address their health concerns.
When contacted, Nursing Director at the hospital Amie Sambola refused to comment on grounds that she was very busy with other activities.
But the administrator of the St. Timothy Government hospital is assuring citizens of the county of the hospital willingness to provide quality health care services to the people of Grand Cape Mount County.
In an interview with local reporters at Radio Piso, Aaron Massaley disclosed that the hospital recently received two drums of fuel from the Ministry of Health (MOH) that will provide electricity for the hospital for about two months [June and early July].
Mr. Massaley told reporters that the government through the Ministry of Health has also provided some funding for the operation of the hospital but fell short of indicating the amount provided.
He said the hospital Administration main focus is to purchase an inverter for Solar Lighting at the Hospital, which he said will reduce or probably bring to an end the power outage that is currently plaguing the main referral health center in Grand Cape Mount County.
For his part, the head Doctor of the Hospital Dr. Sekou Keita said the hospital has received some essential medications that will treat minor cases at the facility.
Dr. Keita also expressed the need for additional drugs. He said it was through the hospital administration interventions and continuous lobbying that provided the assort medications.
The St. Timothy Government hospital in Robertsports Grand Cape Mount County is the only referral hospital in the region that caters to more than eighty patients a day.
Both Mary Esson and Jenkins Mabande are based in Grand Cape Mount and are Broadcast Journalists with Radio Piso