By Arthur F. Beare
Amid numerous challenges facing the health sector of Liberia as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Jallah Lone Medical Center in Bopolu, Gbarpolu County has benefited from a huge consignment of food and Non-food items. The gesture, which is worth about US$2,000 was made possible through the kind courtesy of the ‘Gbarpolu County Association in the Americas’ headed by Teaker Harris and its Project Management Committee Chairman, Dr. Samuel Harris.
The Gbarpolu County Association in the Americas constitutes citizens of the six administrative districts in the county including Bokomu, Belleh, Kongba, Gou Wealala, Bopolu and Gbarma districts.
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The Items donated include 75 bags of 25kg rice, two drums of fuel oil, eight boxes of chloride and 500 pieces of N95 face masks.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony on Friday, July 24 in the County’s capital, Bopolu, members of the group led by former Lutheran Bishop, Dr. Sumoward E. Harris said the group saw it important to give back to their home county despite the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the America.
Dr. Harris, a native of Gbarpolu County explained that fifteen bags of rice is targeted to the county’s COVID-19 response while sixty bags are to be used by the Medical center for patients and staff at the facility.
He at the same time noted that the two drums of fuel oil donated is intended for both the Medical Center and the County radio station, while the five hundred nose masks and eight cartoons of chloride should be used by the Jallah Lone Medical Center.
“I’m honored to present these items to you on behalf of your citizens in America and Canada as their initial contribution and they are thinking more and more about what to do for their native county”, Dr. Harris stated.
For his part, Gbarpolu County Health Officer, Dr. Musa K. Zuanah expressed appreciation for the donation, adding it will step up the county’s fight against COVID-19.
Dr. Zuannah, speaking further mentioned that citizens of the county are yet to accept and believe that the Coronavirus is real; something he described as a serious challenge facing the county’s COVID-19 response.
“We have been branded by citizens of the county that we want money. That’s why we want them get sick or make them sick, refusing to wash their hands, wear face masks and they go against us for that,” Dr. Zuanah lamented.
Gbarpolu County has reported about ten confirmed coronavirus cases since Liberia announced its index case in March this year.
He said citizens in the county are finding it difficult to get medical care at the Jallah Lone Medical Center and other clinics due to bad road condition and electricity.
“At night hours, doctors and health care workers cannot continue their duties due to the lack of electricity as patients expected to received operations are delayed or postponed until day-time.”
He however stated that there is no confirmed COVID-19 case in the county currently as those suspected cases or high-risk contacts have been released following a fourteen-day observation period.
Meanwhile, Gbarpolu County Superintendent J. Keyah Saah thanked the association for the donation terming the contribution by the group of Gbarpolu citizens as welcoming.
“I pray that God almighty bless our children who thought on helping their home county amid the global impact caused by the coronavirus pandemic” Mr. Saah added.
He lamented that the need to transition from a traditional power source (Generator) to a modern power generation (solar panel) cannot be over emphasized.
Superintendent Saah stressed that the health facility cannot currently maintain the 150KVA generator due to lack of funds to purchase fuel noting that the lack of unity amongst the county legislative caucus has negatively impacted development in the county.
The Gbarpolu Superintendent concluded by assuring that the items donated will be used for its intended purpose.
Read from source FrontPage Africa