Restoring Healthcare to Women and Girls in Liberia

This week our solar contractor from Washington state, Doug Danelson, installed the solar system bringing light and power into our new clinic space, bringing us one critical step closer to opening day.  Building Goodness Foundation now has a full-time project manager, Michael Anello from Virginia, on-site working side by side with our Liberian construction team.  He will remain in Liberia until the construction is completed, currently planned to be at the end of March. 

As we prepare to open the new Waterfiled Primary Care Center hiring and training staff is the highest priority  In the next few months we will be adding a physician, dentist, lab technicians, pharmacists and supporting staff, 23 new positions have been identified to be filled as funding allows.  Finding resources in Liberia for appropriate medical training to upgrade the skills of our existing staff is challenging, especially post ebola in the timeframe we need at a cost we can afford.  Recently Dr. Chris met with Rev./Dr. Seth Ablorh, a former classmate from medical school in Russia, who runs the Manna Medical Mission Clinics and Hospital in Ghana. They discussed the possibility of training key HWHL staff at his facility. Training will be provided in four key areas - pre and post natal care, vaccinations and cold chain management, out patient management, and pharmacy operations.  Manna is accredited for training in family practice residency by the West African College of Physicians. Dr. Ablorh is currently working with the Nursing School of Oral Roberts University and the Nurses and Midwives Council of the Ministry of Health in Ghana to establish a formal nursing education program.  Four experienced HWHL staff members have been selected to spend the next six months living and working in Ghana at the with Dr. Ablorh and his team. This training will be provided free of charge, although we have agreed to pay for transportation and room and board for the six month duration of the program for each student.  The funds have been raised and travel documents secured for the upcoming trip.  

This month the Healthy Women, Healthy Liberia clinic is as busy as it has ever been. People begin lining up outside the gate before daylight, some traveling for hours. They continue to arrive throughout the day. Lately we are seeing substantially more cases of malaria, The number of pregnancies has increased.

Since the ebola outbreak before entering the yard an examination is made of every patient, symptoms are noted, temperatures are taken to ensure that none are dangerously contageous. Before entering everyone washes their hands in a bleach solution.  Once inside the gate the wait is also long, but the Healthy Women, Healthy Liberia staff tends to every patient before the day is over. No one is turned away. The after school reading program and expanded sewing program have been moved inside the fence, so every inch of the yard is bustling with activity.  

Every day our Community Health Workers travel out of town extending healthcare to the villages. Through home health visits they provide immediate care to community members when they are hurt or sick. They lead health education sessions on first aid and wound care, malaria, respiritory and diarrheal disease, nutrition and micronutrients, immunizations, child spacing, maternal and newborn care, child and women’s health services, clean water and sanitation. They track community and individuals’ health status, and support vaccination and immunization campaigns.  They encourage pregnant women to seek health care and new mothers to seek postnatal and newborn care. They are the first responders and work as full-time advocates for the women in their communities.

Through your continuing support we have continued construction of our new Medical Center facility.  The construction crew is finishing the plastering and moving to interior finishes this month.  A container filled with the solar system componenets is already on its way to Liberia.  With your help, soon we will be operating in our new space. Thank You!

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