Published: March 14, 2025
GBARNGA – Sitting beneath the shade of an orange tree beside her mud-brick hut, Rebecca Blackie cradles her three-week-old baby, desperately trying to soothe his relentless cries. The 30-year-old mother, who gave birth on February 14 at Taylor’s Town Clinic, was discharged just a day later—not because she was fit to leave, but because the clinic had run out of essential medications.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with him,” Rebecca laments, glancing at her son, who suckles weakly at her breast. “Since we left the clinic, he hasn’t received any treatment.”
Rebecca, a mother of six, has experienced childbirth both at home and in health facilities, but she says this time feels dangerously different. The absence of postnatal care has left her anxious, fearing for her newborn’s well-being.
Susanna Reeves, a practicing nurse in Gbarnga, warns that newborns deprived of medical attention face heightened risks of severe illness, disability, and even death. “Postnatal care is crucial for a baby’s survival and long-term health. It helps detect potential complications early and supports proper development,” she explains.
Liberia’s struggle with infant mortality remains dire. In 2022, the country’s infant mortality rate stood at 54.9 per 1,000 live births, according to the World Bank. Limited access to medical care, especially in rural areas, continues to endanger newborns and mothers alike.
A health worker at Taylor’s Town Clinic, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the facility has been without essential medications—including those for malaria and diarrhea—for two weeks. “We have no choice but to hand out prescriptions,” she said. “The last drug supply came in early December, and we’ve completely run out. Even minor cases are beyond our ability to handle.”
The drugs previously stocked at the clinic were donated by USAID and distributed through the Bong County Health Team. However, despite reports of severe shortages at local clinics, Bong County Health Team Administrator Sam Siakor recently told journalists that “huge quantities of essential drugs” remain available at the county’s pharmaceutical storage.
For Rebecca and her ailing newborn, such assurances mean little. Until those drugs make their way to the clinics, the harsh reality remains: rural mothers and their infants are left to fend for themselves in a system stretched beyond its limits.
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