Amid budgetary constraints facing the George Weah led government, the only referral health-care center in central Liberia, Phebe Hospital in Gbarnga Bong County is said to be at the brink of closure due to lack of funding.
According to an official of the hospital Kasor Seekor, the health-care center has been without essential medical drugs since the beginning of 2019. He added if nothing is swiftly done to address the situation the hospital may permanently shut down in few days.
The Phebe Hospital is mainly funded by the Liberian government.
Kasor Seeker, an administrator of the Phebe Hospital told state radio ELBC Thursday that vouchers to purchase medical drugs, fuel for electricity and other administrative cost have been sitting at Ministry of Finance and Development Planning since February.
Explaining further, he stated, for more than two weeks the hospital has been without electricity and only host pregnant women because of the complicated condition.
Kasor Seeker explained:” we have vouchers at the finance ministry since 20 February but up to now nothing has been done”.
Sadly, Mr. Seeker further lamented that he has contacted the county health officer of Bong County to have the Ministry of Health informed about the hospital current nightmare but the ministry in response said government is facing financial difficulty in every sector.
Mr. Seeker intoned that the Hospital’s Medical Director, Doctor Jefferson Sibley has on several occasions alerted the Health Ministry central office to solve the natter but to no avail.
Phebe hospital is among several health public hospitals in Liberia that have been facing financial constraint in recent time in the current George Weah led administration that came to power in January 2018.
Budgetary support to Phebe
In the 2017/2018 fiscal year, the Ministry of Finance Development Planning budgetary appropriation to Phebe Hospital was US$2,010,341, only US1, 789,197 was received while in the following year under the new government, US$1,981,976 was allotted in the 2018/2019 budget for the operation of the Hospital and the Training School.
US$100,000 was projected for the running of the Phebe School of nursing.
The monthly average usage of fuel oil by both vehicles and generators is 6,000 gallons at the cost of US$3.70 (US$22,200.00). Yearly cost is US$266,400.00 and 12 drums of lubricants cost at US$9,600 yearly.
Other constraints
Health authorities in Liberia told Liberia Public Radio Thursday that in addition to funding; the hospital is also challenged with inadequate simulation and library spaces for students, limited support for ambulance service, the lack of space in the Emergency Room, unpaved road entry to the hospital compound, which is hampering its smooth operation.
The hospital was constructed in 1930s as a Faith Based health facility by three churches, the Lutheran, the Episcopal and the Methodist churches, with support from the government of Liberia.
