USAID Provides Surgical Equipment to Kakata Health Center
Surgical equipment donated by the USAID to the Kakata Health Center, Margibi County.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided surgical and in-patient equipment and other supplies to the Kakata Health Center in Margibi County, the facility that is now replacing the C.H Rennie Hospital that was gutted by fire last year.
The items donated include an anesthesia machine, operating theater table, as well as a standing operating light, 3 surgical beds, and four patient beds. Other donated instruments and supplies include 4 cesarean section sets, a laparotomy set, and a refrigerator will be used to provide surgical and in-patient services for residents of Margibi County and its neighboring counties, including Bong, Montserrado, and Grand Bassa.
On Sunday, August 15, 2021, during the early morning hours, citizens of Margibi were shocked when they saw their only referral hospital, the C.H Rennie hospital, engulfed in flames. The government of Liberia immediately renovated the Kakata Health Center that is now being used by the residents while they construct the C.H Rennie hospital anew.
Presenting the items, USAID/Liberia mission Director Jim Wright said the provision of the items will help to reduce high maternal and Newborn deaths that have burdened the country. According to him, the supplies presented yesterday are the second batch of donations USAID is making in response to the fire that destroyed the C.H. Rennie hospital.
"Immediately after the fire, USAID donated infection prevention and control essential supplies to the Kakata Health facilities in Margibi," Director Wright added.
"The items we are handing over here today are an operating table, anesthesia machine, operating lights surgical beds and several autoclaves, surgical beds, stretchers, and cesarean section sets. These supplies and equipment will be used to provide critical surgical and in-patient services at the Kakata Health Center, which has seen a marked increase in its caseload following a fire last year that destroyed the C.H. Rennie Hospital, the only referral hospital in Margibi County’’. Director Wright said.
Additionally, the USAID Mission Director disclosed, the agency funded the repair of 3 ambulances and provided six-months worth of fueling and maintenance support for them. "We are also helping the Margibi County Health Team respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic", he continued. ''In the coming months, we will support the County to increase COVID-19 vaccination coordination to increase the number of people taking the vaccine.
Receiving the supplies on behalf of the health center, Health Minister, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, thanked the government and people of America for the donation and their overall support to the Liberian healthcare system.
"When we first appeared at this center, it was very discouraging as the only place we should refer the patients," Dr. Jakah recalled. "On behalf of president George Weah we want to thank the USAID and the United States government for their continuous support to the health sector in providing all of the supplies necessary to begin work," Dr. Jallah recalls.
She encouraged the staff, doctors and nurses to take care of the items and ensure proper management. "All of you, as you work in this facility, maintenance is important; so all of the people working have to be on board. When something happens, don’t just leave it, call somebody to help you to make it continue running. This is the only way that we will come back in six months and meet this facility as we are here today. So we want to appeal to cleaners, to staff, to everyone. You have to do your part in keeping this facility as it is. When you see dirt somewhere, clean it. Don't wait for somebody else. It has to be a team effort in the meeting."
Jerry Varnie, Superintendent of Margibi County, described the donation as a way of restoring hope for the people of Margibi county.
He thanked USAID for their countless support towards the county health center. "On behalf of the people of Margibi we want to say that we are very much grateful. This is a symbol of restoring hope to not only the people of Margibi County, but people coming from lower Bong and Grand Bassa for health services."