The face of limited health facilities in rural communities to address the health needs of rural dwellers, Citizens of the border town of Kpassagizia Town in Lofa County are said to be opposing the open and operation of a newly constructed Medical Center.
The Clinic worth More than ninety thousand United States Dollars (USD$90,000) was constructed since 2016 but is to be opened to provide medical services to rural communities that have not had any form of medical services since the Independence of Liberia.
So, the presence of the newly constructed Clinic by the Christian Revival Church Association (CRCA) is widely considered as a blessing for a community whose inhabitants have been subjected for decade to transporting pregnant women and critical ill people in hummer walking three to four hours to get medical treatment.
What happen?
Liberia Public Radio investigation revealed that prior to the construction of the Clinic, Citizens of the town mainly Chiefs and elders agreed through documentation and town hall consultations which led to the provision of the land space including human labour.
Citizens of the Kpassagizia towns did provide human labour to help the contractor that implemented the project as their way of contributing to the initiative.
Our investigation shows that after the project was completed by CRCA in 2016, by tradition, the Bishop of the Church requested the consent of the people of Kpassagizia for the opening and operations of the Health facility, but his request was not granted.
Demand for Social benefits
The people of Kpassagizia set social benefits as pre-condition for the opening of the Clinic and described the land on which the clinic is built as the pathway for their traditional Devil.
They insisted that the only way the clinic will be opened is for the Bishop of the Christian Revival Church Association, Dennis T. Aggrey to agree that the facility be operated for five years and be shutdown.
However, with the pre-condition set by citizens of Kpassagizia, Bishop Aggrey proposed the constitution of a seven Member Board that would Manage the Facility with five of the seven coming from the town.
Bishop Aggrey said since Kpassagizia Citizens in Monrovia are demanding the issue of social benefits, they should send the names of three persons to the Board, those in Lofa County should also submit the names of two persons while CRCA give the names of three persons.
He noted that in this way the people of Kpassagizia will have five Representations on the Board with the overwhelming majority voice to make decision that will positively impact their lives.
Since the proposal was made, Monrovia and Lofa based Kpassagizia Citizens are yet to respond or expressed their interest in opening the facility.
Chief leads negotiation
LPR understands that, a 45-year long serving General Town Chief of Kpassagizia confirmed their opposition to the opening and operations of the Clinic since it was completed.
Chief Kpadehyea Yanquai said though, they had constantly opposed the opening and operations of the Clinic, he has begun holding consultations with all Citizens and stakeholders of Kpassagizia town to resolve the matter for the opening and operations of the clinic.
Chief Yanquai assured that he will do all in his power to ensure the opening and operations of the Clinic owing to the fact that their community and neighboring towns and villages stand to benefit health wide.
The clinic will also provide services to Guinean Communities sharing border with Liberia around the Kpassagizia town.
While, People of Kpassagizia reject the opening and operations of the new clinic in their Community, people living around the Kaiha River, a remote part of Kolahun District in Lofa County are appealing to the Government of Liberia, Local and International NGOs to help build them clinic.
Citizens living in Villages and towns around the River bank said their entire communities lack health facility as such they walk long distances before accessing health facility.
They said in the event where the river over flow its bank, they are restricted to movement until the river gets dry. This is a serious problem for us they said.
