KAKATA, Margibi – Officials of the Ministry of Health are reportedly planning to relocate the proposed site for reconstructing the C.H. Rennie Referral Hospital, citing financial constraints faced by the Unity Party-led government. The project, initially planned as a two-story, 150-bed facility with an elevator, was projected to cost $4.5 million but has stalled due to funding issues.
Former President George Weah broke grounds for the construction of the hospital on August 30, 2023, but his government fell short of sourcing funding for the project amidst the height of the election campaign in 2023.
According to sources close to the Margibi Health Team, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, the discussion was recently initiated by Deputy Health Minister for Administration, Martha Morris. She reportedly complained that the cost of constructing a two-story hospital equipped with an elevator was too expensive for the government. Additionally, the new plan to build smaller units cannot fit within the existing land space
Built in 1970, the C.H. Rennie Hospital was a major referral hospital in North-Central Liberia until it was destroyed by fire on August 15, 2021, reportedly due to an electrical shock. The hospital, which had an 85-bed capacity, has left the county health system 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 a cost of US$4.5 million to meet the growing health needs of people in Margibi, Grand Bassa, Rural Montserrado, Bong, and Gbarpolu Counties. The Boakai-led Unity Party government has reportedly secured US$800,000 as initial funding to commence the reconstruction of the hospital.
The proposed hospital is intended to serve more than 250,000 people in Margibi and the surrounding counties. However, the delay in rebuilding the hospital poses a significant threat to public health. The hospital was the only public healthcare provider in the region, and its absence has resulted in many lives being lost, particularly among pregnant women and children under five. This has exacerbated maternal and infant mortality rates in the area.
Scores of Margibians are urging the authorities at the Ministry of Health to retain the current blueprint of the project, citing the county’s rapidly growing population. They argue that the previous 85-bed capacity hospital was already overwhelmed by the influx of people seeking healthcare prior to the devastating fire.
The Liberian Investigator has made several attempts to contact Minister Morris for comments, but phone calls and WhatsApp messages have gone unanswered.”
Before this recent development, Margibi County Superintendent Victoria Duncan, during a live radio appearance in August 2014, stated that the proposed design of the project was too large and revealed that she had initiated discussions with the county project planner and resident engineer to redesign it. She emphasized that the current hospital design was excessively extensive for the county’s needs.
Superintendent Duncan’s opposition raised concerns about the scale and practicality of the project, prompting a reevaluation of the hospital’s design despite the growing demand for public healthcare services in Margibi.
Her comments were met with stiff reactions, especially on social media, where many Margibi residents accused Duncan of lacking vision and failing to innovate for the county’s 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 shared his concerns 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, expressed doubts that the Superintendent could make such a statement, given the significant role Rennie Hospital has played in healthcare delivery over the years. ‘Did she really make such a statement about Rennie Hospital, which serves the inhabitants of Margibi, parts of Bassa, Bong, Montserrado, Gbarpolu, and residents of other counties who seek emergency care during accidents?’ he questioned.
Meanwhile, former Presidential Aide Sekou Kalasco has voiced his disappointment over the decision to reduce the hospital’s capacity. He cited the example of Gbarpolu, a smaller county with the Emirates Hospital, which boasts a large capacity. ‘Why not a 150-bed capacity hospital for Margibi, which has a fast-growing population?’ he asked.
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