-As patient load increases to over 5,000 monthly
By Christopher Yarwoe in Buchanan, Liberia
Grand Bassa: As the patient load increases sharply, the new government has cut down the budget of the main referral hospital in three counties, the Buchanan Government Hospital in the recast budget.
Fuel consumption, spare parts and impatient feeding which accounts for the bulk of the spending might pose more challenges to the Buchanan Government Hospital in Grand Bassa County, due to the reduction allotment in the national budget.
The hospital, which serves Grand Bassa, Rivercess and Sinoe counties in Southeastern Liberia, spend $11,165USD monthly on fuel consumption for four ambulances, one bus, three generators and utility vehicle, while $3,600USD is spend on food for impatient feeding, said Mr. Isaac Bannie, Administrator of the government Hospital.
The hospital has in the 2017/2018 national budget about $230,000USD that already can’t meet the demand, Bannie said, but has received about $110,000USD of that amount so far since November 2017. Of that annual allotment, the hospital receives about $20,000USD monthly from national government.
“The challenge is that when there is budget shortfall, we don’t receive all of our allotment which makes the work very difficult for us to provide services to the patients,” Bannie explained.
According to the Buchanan Government Hospital’s Administrator, for 2016/2017, the hospital received $250,000USD which was all of its allotment in the national budget.
The hospital has 250 workers and 4 doctors.
“We provide incentives for 14 persons, purchasing of essential drugs, stationery and cleaning up materials, and presently pay for three doctors’ residence in Buchanan, all from the same allotment,” the Hospital Administrator said.
Some patients who spoke to the local community radio in Buchanan, Magic FM spoke of how they buy their own medicines to be treated by the public hospital.
Joseph Russ of Four Houses Community in Buchanan, who is admitted in the male ward said, his sister bought the medicine for him to be treated but he could not state the amount spent by her.
For Princess D. Laha, who was admitted in the female ward, her mother –in-law bought the medicine because the Buchanan Government hospital never had the drugs needed to treat her.
Also speaking, David Wragboe of District Number Two said that they are fed one time a day and, at the same time, they watch television to entertain them.
Oldpa Williams of District One also said that he is satisfied with the services rendered at the hospital. “I feel satisfied because I sleep under mosquito net and electricity every day since I was put on bed.”
Doris James, age 18 and a resident of Kaytor Town Community in Buchanan gave birth safely to a bouncing baby boy the same day she was rushed to the hospital. Pleased with the professional service, Doris expressed satisfaction over the treatment received from the hospital staff.
Malaria cases dominate the kinds of cases being treated at the hospital, with mainly children under five years and pregnant women.
Also, pregnant women come with bleeding problem to the Buchanan hospital most of time, according to the Administrator.
In spite of the low budgetary support the hospital is receiving, Mr. Bannie is proposing OS$400,000 annually in the national budget to effectively run the only referral hospital in Grand Bassa County.
Relocation
Beyond the proposal to increase budgetary allotment for the hospital, the Administrator of the Buchanan Government Hospital said the building is small to house the hospital with a growing patient load.
Due to the increase in patient intake, the Administrator said that the hospital receives more than 5,000 patients monthly.
“It can no longer accommodate the patients so there is a need to move to another facility,” Mr. Bannie said.
He said if there is relocation, the hospital’s management can then determine whether the referral hospital will be used for maternal health or for any other purpose.
According to him, they are planning to meet the Authorities of Grand Bassa County and the Legislative Caucus to discuss the possible relocation of the hospital.
County Support
Speaking on support from the county, Mr Bannie said in 2017 the hospital received $2,000USD as support from Grand Bassa County through the Project Management Committee (PMC).
According to him, the money was used to tile the floor of the Out Patient Department (OPD) of the hospital.
In spite of the money received, the hospital’s Administrator has challenged the Legislative Caucus to work together in order to know the problems of the hospital and give it much support.
Donation and Free Medical Services
Besides the national government, the Buchanan Government Hospital heavily relies on partners for support.
The Hospital Administrator said they received a donation of one ambulance from Save the Children, one ambulance from the International Rescue Committee, the government of Japan donated a Mobile X – Ray to the hospital in November 2017 and Americare provided Infection Prevention Control (IPC) materials and medicine.
“Based on the growing population of the hospital, our people were opportune to benefit from free medical services from two groups from abroad,” Mr. Bannie said.
He said the Medical Outreach Liberia and the International Mission Liberia, both from the United States of America treated patients in the malaria, pain relief, diaherrea, pressure among others.
According to him, the two groups came to the hospital through the instrumentality of Senator Jonathan Kaipay of Grand Bassa County.