By Charles Gbayor, maorethason1997@gmail.com
PLEEBO, Liberia- The Maryland County Health Team through its Health Officer, Dr. Methodius George has discharged the first confirmed Coronavirus patient from the Pleebo Health Center in Pleebo Sodoken District, over 611 kilometers from Monrovia.
It was on April 25 of this year, that a 24-year-old man, Roland Hinneh, a college student was tested positive of the Coronavirus pandemic in Pleebo Sodoken District, Maryland County.
Roland Hinneh, a College student and one of the best Basketballers in Pleebo, lives in Pleebo City Zone-5 and he was last April tested positive of Coronavirus.
The Maryland County Health Officer, Dr. George informed Journalists at the time that the 24-year-old man left Monsterrado County’s Thinker Village on April 8 2020 and arrived in Pleebo Maryland County on April 11, 2020.
Pleebo Health Center in Maryland County
But on Monday 25, 2020, the Pleebo Health Center discharged Hinneh, the only confirmed patient of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic, based on several test results from Laboratories of National Public Health Institute of Liberia and Ministry Of Health in Monrovia were shown Negative.
The family of Roland Hinneh told www.newspublictrust.com that he had asthma and tried to find “country leaf” or herbs, which they usaully use to treat his condition for quick recovery. But he later went to the Pleebo Health Center for proper treatment.
The signs and symptoms of the Coronavirus pandemic and his spacemen were collected, sent to NPHIL and MOH in Monrovia for testing after which it showed positive.
The patient’s was tested positive, after three days.
Based on the results from NPHIL, the Maryland County Health team began tracing of contacts of 51 persons who were quarantined for 14 days and above.
According to the County Health Officer of Maryland County, Dr. Methodius George, patient Hinneh first came in contact with 8 persons who were also quarantined.
CHO Dr. Dr. Methodius George
Dr. George said the patient was not the only person whose specimen was taken to Monrovia for testing.
The County Health Officer said since the discovery of the first confirmed case in Maryland, there has been more support from partners in providing proper treatment to the patient and all others who are under quarantine.
He named organizations such as Partner In Health (PIH), World Food Program (WFP), the United Nation High Commission on Refugee (UNHCR) and the Liberian Government for their numerous support to the James Jenkins Dossen Referral Hospital, Pleebo Health Center and other Health Centers in the County.
He said this is a contribution to the building a modern Health Care delivery system in the southeastern County of Maryland.
In an interview with www.newspublictrust.com, Dr. George called on family members of the now COVID-19-free patient and residents of Maryland County to see the release of Roland Hinneh as evidence that the virus is not a death sentence. He said, there should be nothing of discrimination in any other way.
He cautioned residents to continue following the Health Protocols and guidelines to fight this menace in Liberia and the rest of the world.
Dr. George has also callled on the Religious community to continuously pray for Liberia and the world at large, so that God can have mercy on us and save our land from harm.
Roland’s gratitude to God and Health workers
For his part, Roland Hinneh said he is grateful to God for His protection upon his life and grace that took him through his treatments at the Health Facility
Mr. Hinneh commended the Health workers at the Pleebo Health Center for the love, care and kindness shown towards him during his admission at this facility .
He also called on Marylanders and Liberians to believe that the Coronavirus is real and it is indeed in Liberia.
“I wants Liberians to follow the precautionary measures put in place by the Ministry of Health and the National public Health institute of Liberia. Let people constantly wash their hands, avoid shaking hands and Public Gathering, and observing social distancing, including the lockdown and stay home,” 24-year-old Roland Hinneh said.
“It is because of the spread of the pandemic, he noted that the Liberian government closed churches, schools, mosques including our social activities, but with the helping hands of all Liberians the virus can be overcome and defeated, so normal activities can start again in our country,” Roland Hinneh added.