Liberia’s Chief of Medical Officer Dr. Francis Kateh has confirmed the reassigning of government’s employed Medical Doctors at the Phebe Referral Hospital in reaction to the alleged refusal of the Hospital’s Board to offer slots to the Liberian government for appointments and key decision making.
Speaking on a local radio station in Bong via Telephone from Monrovia Dr. Kateh said the resolution is meant to empower government own facilities, instead of promoting institutions that they are not heading.
He stated that since the Liberian government started partnering with the hospital, they are yet to be given the opportunity to make key decisions in administration.
Dr. Kateh named the appointment of administrators, Medical Director and having access to funding allocated by national government and partners as some of the rights Phebe’s Board has allegedly denied; something he said they cannot continue while their own facilities are forgotten.
The Liberian Medical Officer pointed out that government will begin upgrading C. B. Dunbar and and others facilities in order to replace Phebe and serve the people of Bong and its environs.
When asked whether government is withdrawing her supports from the hospital, Dr. Kateh said he wouldn’t basically say they are doing so because almost of the nurses, Doctors and some of the personnel at the hospital are paid by government but noted that if an individual is investing in an institution and has no saying he/she must begin to rethink and so they are in the process of rethinking as 80% contributor.
Following the pronouncement, many citizens believe that the act is being politically motivated, pointing at Bong County Electoral District#3 lawmaker who called for an audit to be conducted at the Institution in 2019 and the sacking of some administrators who he described as corrupt.
The Lawmaker by then also threatened to have the budget of the hospital reduced if they failed to define their position whether they are private or government institution.
When invited by the house of representatives to provide clarity, Liberia’s Health Minister Dr. Whilimena Jallah stated that document seen, doesn’t not indicate that Phebe is a government hospital, instead a private entity that has been receiving support from government since 1974.
The Bong County citizens also lamented that they worried about their well-being if government withdraw their support from Phebe hospital.
Phebe hospital which was built by the Lutheran Church, in partnership with the Episcopal and the United Methodist Churches in 1921 is currently serving as the only referral Hospital in Bong and caters to over 45,000 persons in the Central region of Liberia.
When Contacted, the board chairman of the Hospital Mr. Tononlah Varpilah promised to respond in the soonest time.
