Kakata — Margibi Superintendent Victoria Wolobah Duncan has publicly expressed her opposition to the proposed construction of a 150-bed capacity new Charles Henry Rennie Memorial Referral Hospital during her first live radio appearance recently.
By Emmanuel Degleh, Margibi County
Superintendent Duncan stated that the proposed design of the project is very large and has initiated discussions with the county project planner and resident engineer to redesign the project. She emphasized that the current design is too extensive for the county’s needs.
Built in 1970, the C.H. Rennie Hospital was a major referral hospital in Northeastern Liberia until it was destroyed by fire on August 15, 2021, due to what was believed to be an electrical shock. The hospital, which had an 85-bed capacity, has left the county health system running without a public referral hospital since its destruction.
Following the fire, the government promised to build a new two-story, 150-bed capacity hospital at the cost of US$4 million to meet the growing health needs of people in Margibi, Grand Bassa, Rural Montserrado, Bong, and Gbarpolu Counties. The proposed hospital is intended to serve more than 250,000 people in Margibi and the surrounding counties.
Superintendent Duncan’s opposition raises concerns about the scale and practicality of the project, prompting a reevaluation of the hospital’s design despite the growing needs for public health care services in Margibi.
The Superintendent’s comment has met stiff reactions, especially on social media, from scores of Margibi residents who blame Duncan for lacking vision and not being innovative enough to see the county progress under her administration.
Mohammed Kamara wrote on Facebook, “This raises some fundamental questions to be answered. Is the cost of the hospital construction coming from her expense? Doesn’t Margibi deserve a 150-bed hospital with modern equipment including x-rays?”
Adolphus Porte, a Margibian studying in Canada, also expressed his concern on the issue. “This clearly highlights the Superintendent’s lack of vision, innovation, and proactive planning. Margibi County is experiencing population growth, making it crucial for all infrastructure developments to consider this expansion.”
For his part, Dorbor Dennis, a health practitioner in Margibi, doubts that the Superintendent could make such a statement owing to the significant healthcare delivery role Rennie Hospital has played over the years. “Did she really make such a statement about Rennie Hospital that serves inhabitants of Margibi, and parts of Bassa, Bong, Montserrado, Gbarpolu, and residents of other counties who seek emergency care during accidents?” he quizzed.
At the same time, former Presidential Aide Sekou Kalasco has expressed his disappointment over the decision to reduce the capacity of the hospital, citing that a small county like Gbarpolu has the Emirates hospital with huge capacity. “Why not a 150-bed capacity hospital for Margibi that has a fast-growing population?” he questioned.
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