MONROVIA, Nov. 7 (LINA) – As part of efforts to boost the Liberian government’s strides to improve women and children’s health care and reduce maternal mortality, First Lady Clar Marie Weah has donated six fetal and maternal monitors to major public referral hospitals.
The monitors, worth several thousand United States Dollars, were officially turned over to the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health by the First Lady during a brief ceremony at the Health Ministry in Congo Town on Wednesday, November 6.
In a brief statement, Mrs. Weah noted that donation is her way of contributing to the betterment of the livelihood of Liberians, especially women and children.
“Wherever I go; whenever I go, I’m always speaking on behalf of Liberia because I really want to see that in the next few years our health system will rise and we don’t have to go to neighboring countries to get the help that we require,” said Mrs. Weah.
“I am grateful for the support that I’m getting from the Liberian people and I’m also willing to do whatever I can to make life easy for us here in Liberia,” the First Lady added.
Mrs. Weah further disclosed that the monitors were a result of one of her many travels and international engagements, particularly in Ghana where she held discussions with a Ghanaian gynaecologist who have followed her work in Liberia and decided to assist.
The Liberian First Lady assured the Health Ministry authorities that she was already a champion of women and children’s issues though she welcomes the proposal by the Ministry seeking her confirmation to be an ambassador for maternal and infant health.
In response, Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Minister, Dr. Francis Kateh, thanked the First Lady, stressing that the donation was timely.
“There has not been a time we needed it than now especially when we have indirectly considered this as an emergency,” said Dr. Kateh.
“Where we stand now as a country, we lose a woman every day; we lose two infants every day in this country. And so, it is sad,” the Chief Medical Officer asserted, adding that the fetal and maternal monitors will help doctors make accurate diagnoses and informed decisions responding to maternal and neonatal health issues.
The fetal and maternal monitors will be transferred to three of the country’s major referral hospitals, including JFK Memorial Hospital in Sinkor, the Redemption Hospital in New Kru Town, James Davis, Jr. Hospital in Paynesville and the Liberian Government Hospital in Buchanan, Grand Bassa Countym among others.
In separate remarks, representatives of the respective medical institutions thanked the First Lady and urged her to continue to advocate for more equipment to improve the health sector.
The donation ceremony brought together key partners in the health sector, including representatives the United Nations AIDS, and National AIDS Commission, among others.