TAPPITA-As a result of its quality health delivery to Liberians, foreign nationals within the territorial confines of the country and neighboring countries, the Jackson F. Doe (JFD) Referral Hospital in Tappita, Nimba County, has been awarded as the ‘Best Referral Hospital of the Year’ by an independent health organization under the banner The I-Help Liberia Medical Incorporated.
The organization, I-Help Liberia Medical Incorporated, is a Liberian based not-for-profit organization operated by graduates and former students of the A. M. Dogliotti College of Medicine who, over the course of their stay in the Medical School, were supported by the I-Help Liberia Project.
I-Help Liberia Medical is a daughter organization of the I-Help Liberia project, an international NGO based in New York City, the United States of America. The organization was founded in 2014 but gained legal status in 2018 and has been involved in providing minimum financial supports to some students at the A. M. Dogliotti College of Medicine and responding to Medical Emergencies over the years as well as other community-based programs. The organization is made up of Doctors, Lawyers, Pharmacists, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Students and others from various professional bodies.
In addition, the General Administrator of the Hospital, Mr. Abraham F. Jusu was also named the ‘Hospital Administrator of the Year,’ while the Director for Nursing Services, Madam Nuajue Margaret Kear, was awarded as the ‘Best Nursing Director of the Year.’
Speaking to the media following the award ceremony, Mr. Jusu expressed profound thanks and gratitude to the organization going beyond all lenses to recognize the sacred role played by the JFD Hospital and staff to award them.
“I feel very proud and honored of what we have done over the time to have been noted by independent group like I-Help,” said Jusu.
According to him, the JFD Hospital has over the years proven to be most reliable center when it comes to good health delivery services due to policies that have been put in place coupled with the commitment the hard-working staff.
“We have done a lot over the years. We took over at a time where there was no policy; and we formulated policies that got us to where we are today. We put in place financial policy, asset management policy, accommodation policy among others. We also realized that power was also a challenge and we lobby and today, we got transformer that has since made power supply to be regular. We also expanded the hospital by opening a dental clinic. As we speak, an eye clinic is under construction and will be completed soon,” the JFD Hospital boss indicated.
“We have been able to purchase a lot of equipment, thus making us the most equipped referral in the country. We were able to hematology analyzer. We have been able to buy new chemistry machine, we have done a lot and performed a lot,” he stated.
In the midst of the dangling financial constraint faced by the health sector, Jusu disclosed that the Hospital has been able to make proper use of the PBF scheme which many hospitals are benefiting from coupled with support from central government to make a difference in society.
He furthered that the administration has been able to provide motivational package to motivate staff to do their work more effectively and efficiently.
“We are strange in administration; we have been able to manage the hospital in River Cess, and we came to make a difference. We know exactly what to do to serve our client that they are able to come back whenever to they are faced with similar problem,” he asserted.
“All of these couldn’t have been just possible with government’s support. We want to thank the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning – it has done very well when it comes to the disbursement of funds to the hospital. I also want to thank the Minister of Health, Dr. Whillimetta Jallah, and Deputy Minister Nuwoe Howard for their opportunity given us to serve,” he lauded.
However, on the heel of the milestone achievement, Jusu narrated that there are lots more challenges being faced by the Hospital such as accommodation and mobility as the number of staff increases.
“Currently we are fixing some challenges in the area of lodging. The hospital is embarking on a project that will help us get accommodation for our doctors, nurses, and others who have come down to Nimba to work. We also have some mobility issue, so we are going to ensure that this is going to be resolved. We have already drawn out a plan; a proposal and only waiting for sponsorship,” he added.
Mr. Abraham F. Jusu holds an MPA degree in Public Administration from the Sunyet-sen University Guanghou, China, and a Bachelor of Public Administration degree from the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU), Monrovia Liberia. He also has to his credit several certificates and diplomas including a postgraduate diploma in Public Health and Hospital Administration.
Prior to taking over the position of Hospital Administrator, Jusu served as the General Administrator of James N. Davis Memorial Hospital in the Newzoe Community in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, where he initiated many policies reforms. Mr. Jusu also served as Hospital Administrator of the St. Francis hospital in Cestos City, River Cess Country.
For her part, Madam Nuajue Margaret Kear began her professional career in nursing after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the Cuttington University in June 2012.
Her first job came immediately in August 2012 when she got employed as a staff nurse at the Ganta United Methodist Hospital in Ganta City, Nimba County, working both in the general (adult) wards and later the emergency department.
In order to push for career expansion and experiences, she opted to seek employment with the Jackson F. Doe Memorial Regional Referral Hospital in Tappita, Nimba County a year later in 2013.
Ms. Kear has held many positions with several responsibilities since starting a professional career at JFD. Starting as a contract nurse within the first three months from October 2013 before being fully employed in January 2014, she worked as a staff nurse on the medical ward until July 2017 when she got promoted to the head nurse (medical ward) due to her dedication and commitment to her patients and team members.
In addition to these official duties and responsibilities, Ms. Kear has served in several other capacities in and out of the hospital including being the Infection Prevention and Control ( IPC) focal person in the hospital and one of the IPC trainers of trainers of Nimba County certified by WHO/CDC and MOH of Liberia, one of the clinical Mentors in the ACCEL ( Academic Consortium Combating Ebola in Liberia) program in the hospital, a CO-Lead on the Hospital’s Quality Improvement Team and a member of the Performance Based Financing Team.
She is a volunteer in the Infectious Diseases clinic serving as a TB/HIV clinician.
She was appointed in September 2018 as the Director of Nursing Services at the JFD Hospital following a competitive evaluation of her performances and professionalism, a position she serves currently.
In addition to her Bachelor’s degree, Ms. Kear has several professional trainings and certificates including: Management of Development Projects and Programs from MDF Training and Consultancy, Ede, the Netherlands, Certificate in Public Health Administration in China, a WHO/CDC certified IPC trainer, certificate in Clinical Mentoring and several other professional trainings.
Ms. Kear is currently pursuing her Master’s degree after she was awarded one of the China-Liberia bilateral scholarships which is being done online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
She remains a dedicated member of the community outreach team and a member of the Board of Directors, Liberia National Nursing Association.
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