COVID-19: Liberia’s Largest Referral Hospital ‘Closes’ Its Doors
FrontPageAfrica gathered that two health workers at the Liberia-Japan Friendship Maternity Hospital at the JFK tested positive for COVID-19MONROVIA – Liberia’s largest referral hospital – John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center (JFK) – has suspended services of the Outpatient Department (OPD), which means, the hospital would only render emergency services. A hospital department where patients receive a diagnosis and/ or treatment but do not stay overnight. You are also advised, where possible, to assign only a minimal number of your staff to shifts. You are also advised, where possible, to assign only a minimal number of your staff to shifts. The JFK administration has, therefore, arranged testing for all staff and patients that may have been exposed to them.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 16, 2020 14:37 UTC
Liberia: ‘People Are Avoiding Me’: NPHIL Boss Explains Close Contact With Staff Who Tested Positive for COVID-19
He clarified that the picture was taken on March 1 during a training session at the Roberts International Airport. Report by Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]According to him, the Facebook post has created panic among his friends and colleagues with some avoiding close contact with him. NPHIL informed all of its staff that the IPC team under Mr. Philip Bemah will be conducting a risk assessment. All staff working in the response will be contacted by on Wednesday (today) to begin a risk assessment. High-risk contacts will be sent to do their COVID-19 laboratory test.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 16, 2020 12:58 UTC
‘Benjamin Soko Tricked Us’ – Lab Scientists Refute Allegation of Concealing Identity of NPHIL Staff Who Gave Fake Identity
Liberia’s Health Authority has turned a gymnasium at the SKD Sports Complex into a testing center for COVID-19, where Mr. Benjamin Soko reportedly gave lab technicians a fake name when he show-up for voluntary testing on April 9. Mr. Soko was accused of using “Benjamin C. Tokofo” when he showed up for testing at the center. He refutes allegation that he aided Mr. Soko in concealing his real identity. Mr. Dogba, who is the Director of NPHIL’s Reference Laboratory, was recently accused of helping Mr. Soko present a fake name in order to conceal his identity when he’s tested positive for COVID-19. But Dogba denies the allegation, stressing that his job is not concentrated at the voluntary testing center.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 16, 2020 12:56 UTC
Liberia: Intern Doctor, Human Resource Manager at St. Joseph Catholic Hospital Test Positive for Coronavirus
St. Joseph Catholic Hospital, the oldest hospital in Liberia had badly hit by the Ebola epidemic and lost nine of its senior staff to the deadly disease in 2014MONROVIA – The administration of St. Joseph Catholic Hospital has confirmed to FrontPageAfrica that its Human Resource Manager and an intern doctor who was assigned at the hospital have been tested positive for coronavirus. “Unfortunately, we don’t have control over the environment in which the staff live or in which they stay or what they do after work. According to him, the intern doctor had left the hospital to visit a relative and upon his return, he began experiencing symptoms of malaria. “He lost his sense of taste and smell and so that’s why he also voluntarily wen to do his test. “We had to keep what we had during the Ebola, we didn’t throw them away.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 16, 2020 12:11 UTC
Liberia: Tragic Accident Leaves Motorcyclist Dead on Bong Mines Road
Bong Mines Road, Margibi – A tragic accident involving a motorcycle and a trailer left a 32-yr-old man dead in the Sackie Gbomah Community on the Kakata-Bong Mines highway in Margibi County. The deceased sustained severe head fracture due to the impact of the collision, which probably led to his instant demise. Mr. Philip Wolova, Sr., the father of the deceased, grappling with sorrow said his family was saddened by the ‘untimely’ passing of his son. Mr. added that the news triggered concern for him because his son had just left their home and was en-route to the direction of the road accident. Meanwhile, officers of the Traffic Division of the Liberian National Police Margibi County Detachment told FPA that they have launched investigation into the fatal collision, disclosing that the operator of the Renault tanker truck is currently undergoing preliminary probe.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 16, 2020 08:15 UTC
Liberia: Youth Media Action Embarks on COVID-19 Awareness Campaign through 1-Min Video
MONROVIA – A local media development group, Youth Media Action (YMA) has joined the fight by local and international organizations in Liberia to contain Coronavirus through an awareness campaign. According to Varmah Kamara, Executive Director of Youth Media Action, the campaign is focused on an online awareness that educate people on Coronavirus and its prevention. He said the campaign also encourages Liberians to share their stories about the effect of COVID-19 through video documentary. The ongoing campaign comes as health authorities strive to contain the number of COVID-19 cases recorded by the National Public Health Institute of Liberia. Youth Media Action (YMA) is a youth-led media initiative based in Monrovia, Liberia working with a cross-section of young people through high schools to empower and provide the platform were their stories and issues can be known through the media, and solutions met.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 16, 2020 08:03 UTC
Liberia: Senator Johnson Condemns Politicizing COVID-19 Fight; Says Pres. Weah’s Requests Does Not Address Citizens’ Plights
“It is not an individual project, this fight has been politicized, nobody should be putting their pictures on buckets and billboards to fight COVID-19. I received buckets from the Executive to be dispatched to Nimba with pictures of the President. “It is not an individual project, this fight has been politicized, nobody should be putting their pictures on buckets and billboards to fight COVID-19. I received buckets from the Executive to be dispatched to Nimba with pictures of the President. “I will not affix my signature to a document that does not address the plight of our people.”
Source:Front Page Africa
April 16, 2020 07:18 UTC
Liberia: CPP Caucus Forward Recommendation On President Weah Lockdown Measures
The CPP in their opinion believes the President’s letter rather focuses only on a stimulus package to address the so-called economic fallout of the health crisis without dealing with the cause. According to them, unless the health crisis is addressed, there can be no way of assessing and seriously addressing the resultant economic fallout. “Even if a listing of beneficiaries and the amount owed is presented along with the financial institutions concerned, such listing should be subjected to verification by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) before payment is done. “The “other creditors” as alluded by the President creates a big opening for fraud as was the case with the US$25 million mop-up exercise. US$15 To Begin Funding Domestic ArrearsOn the President’s measures to fund domestic arrears, the CPP is recommending that the Executive branch of government should include the US$15 appropriation in the next fiscal budget and prioritize arrear payments for relevant debt that impacts economic recovery.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 16, 2020 06:56 UTC
LIBERIA: COVID-19 Hitting Healthcare Workers Hard; Intervention Needed to Save Lives
LIKE EVERY COUNTRY where the deadly COVID-19 has hit, healthcare workers have become easy preys and targets for infections. LIBERIA APPEARS to be joining the fray as more and more healthcare workers are falling prey to the killer virus. IN A MESSAGE TO STAFFERS a day after one of its own was tested positive, NPHIL wrote:Dear Colleagues, hope this email finds you well. THIS SUGGEST THAT there is a serious need for adequate PPE’s to prevent the spread by healthcare workers. LIKE EBOLA, healthcare workers without the proper protection are at risk of being infected and infected others.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 16, 2020 00:33 UTC
‘Lack of Due Diligence’: Collaborating Political Parties Want Lawmakers Reject Weah’s Plan to Pay Banks’ Marketers Loans
Monrovia – Liberia’s four major opposition political parties have called on the Legislature to disapprove President George Weah’s request to pay loans market women and petty traders owed banks prior to the Coronavirus outbreak. Much like the US$25 million that was intended for mopping up excess Liberian dollars,” the CPP wrote in their respond the President. The ‘other creditors’ as alluded by the President, the parties claimed, creates a big opening for fraud as was the case with the US$25 million mop-up exercise. “A comprehensive distribution plan must be developed that clearly address issues such as who benefits, the frequency of distribution as well as the composition of the food aid. To raise the public confidence in the fair distribution of the food aid program, the partied called on the committee in charge of the food aid to incorporate representations from recognized and reputable religious, traditional, youth and student groups, and other eminent citizens in the society.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 15, 2020 20:15 UTC
Liberia Football Association Makes US$7,500 Donation to the Liberian Government
MONROVIA – The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has presented assorted materials, valued at US$7,500, to the Liberian government’s fight against the corona virus disease (COVID-19). Speaking at the Ministry of Health in Congo Town on 9 April, LFA President Mustapha Raji said it was the FA’s way of identifying with the government. “Today, we came to identify with the government because the disease is not just raging in Liberia but around the world. “It is only Liberia, as a united force together all of us, will be able to make sure we go as never before. The LFA also donated materials worth US$2,500 to the sub-associations in Margibi and Montserrado Counties.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 15, 2020 16:30 UTC
Liberia: NPHIL Boss Came in Close Contact with Staff Confirmed for COVID-19
Social distancing, also called “physical distancing,” means keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet) for a prolonged period. Recent studies indicate that people who are infected but do not have symptoms likely also play a role in the spread of COVID-19. The memo also confirmed FrontPageAfrica’s publication that Mr. Soko provided a fake name, Benjamin C. Tokofo, to lab technicians when he went for testing. As a result, it took the administration two days to find out his true identity after his test came out positive.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 15, 2020 11:03 UTC
Liberia: MoH Responds to Claim of Conflict of Interest and Diversion of Public Funds
Monrovia — The attention of the Ministry of Health has been drawn to an online article by frontpageafricaonline.com alleging conflict of interest including amongst other things diversion of resources and medical supplies by the Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina S. Jallah. It is inconceivable to suggest any such transaction can occur at the Ministry given internationally established structure the Ministry has in place. Diversion of public funds to personal use is criminal; therefore, to suggest that a public servant is involved in such act without producing a single piece of evidence is mindboggling. It is also strange that FrontPageAfrica will only flag out the appointment of the CMO as violation of the JFK Act. It clearly painted the insensitivity of the poster to the effect of the national pandemic threading the survival of our people.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 15, 2020 09:22 UTC
Restart Liberia and Build a New Foundation
Change this by immediately reorienting our national compass, ensuring equitable redistribution of the national resources to begin building this all-supportive, national foundation. Elected local officials can get a much-needed experience in these local bodies before going to the national legislature. Liberia must reinstitute the “village order”, where those who apply themselves are given preference, position, honor and respect; not the other way around. If we fail to do this, we will have no grounds to criticize what’s happening in Liberia. Adapting cultures that are not ours creates the kind of societal confusion and disorganization that is pervasive in Liberia today.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 15, 2020 06:11 UTC
Lockdown To Prevent Spread Of COVID-19 Is Not Applicable To Liberia
He maintained that poor sanitary conditions, lack of electricity, high rate of unemployment, among others make the imposition of a lockdown mandate to prevent the spread of the coronavirus inapplicable in Liberia. He added that Liberia’s health system remains backward as compare to countries in the Americas, Asia, and Europe that have already introduced a lockdown to curb COVID-19. He maintained that most people initially died from the Ebola virus outbreak in Liberia because, the command and control center was not functional. “Lockdown of Monrovia will not stop the spread of the coronavirus; and it will not stop the spread of the coronavirus in any Africa cities. No number of lockdown will stop the disease; we are putting people into more poverty; we are creating agitation.
Source:Front Page Africa
April 15, 2020 02:48 UTC