By Nanci Cole | Project Leader
Vice President Joseph N. Boakai formally dedicated the newly completed Waterfield Primary Care Health Center in a special celebration and naming ceremony on August 12. National, Community, and Church Leaders, and community members gathered to tour the new facility and celebrate the new services coming to the Kakata Community. Other luminaries, including Save the Children, joined the staff and well-wishers of Healthy Women Healthy Liberia, to launch the opening of a facility that all have deemed a valuable new resource in Margibi County, filling the health center gap between small, local clinics and the regional hospital.
Dr. Chris used the occasion to call on the Government of Liberia, humanitarian organizations, and other partners to increase support for the continued expansion of HWHL services. She disclosed that the age of Liberian mothers she regularly sees range from 12 to 16; something she said is not only very dangerous to their health, but also contributes to the increase in maternal mortality and neonatal deaths in the country "How can we continue to have 12, 13, 14 or 15-year-olds having babies when they are babies themselves? We need to do something about this trend in this country."
"The opening of this center is a great blessing for us women in this county because most of our problems will be easily solved and we will begin to experience the power of a healthy life; especially dealing with a woman (Doctor), who you can explain your secret problems to," commented a Kakata community leader. She and many others lauded the efforts of Dr. Hena for bringing hope to women and families in Kakata.
Current clinic operations will be moved as soon as the new facility is certified by the Ministry of Health. Four of our current staff members completed their 6 months of training in Ghana and returned to work this month. Finding qualified staff to fill the 23 new clinic positions - doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, imaging technicians - is the next major challenge we face in this country of scarce healthcare resources.
Reaching this day truly reflected recognition of the faithful support HWHL has received from donors like you over the past four years. We can't thank you enough.
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