GOOD NEWS FOR LIBERIA

-As She Signs Agreement on China-Liberia Paired Hospital Cooperation

By Mark N. Mengonfia- mmenginfia@gmail.com

MONROVIA-Liberian health authorities have all reasons to be happy as the county has signed an agreement with one of its partners, The People’s Republic of China.

China and Liberia have signed what is titled China-Liberia Paired Hospital Cooperation Mechanism project.

The signing ceremony was done Friday, March 3, 2023 at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China near Monrovia.

The Charge d’Affairs of the Embassy China, Xu Kun signed on behalf of his country, while Dr. Jerry F. Brown of the General Administrator of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, signed on behalf of Liberia.

Not only was the signing done, but also the Embassy donated assorted medical equipment to J.F.K. and those materials to include: 2 respirators, 16 oxygen masks, 240 boxes of Anti-Malaria drugs, and 1,200 surgical masks.

In remarks, China’s Charge d’Affairs, Kun spoke about President Xi Jinping’s announcement made on 18th May 2020 at the Virtual Event of Opening of the 73rd World Health Assembly, that China would establish a cooperation mechanism for its hospitals to pair up with 30 African hospitals.

He said the project is to help Liberia rise up its disease preparedness and control capacity.

Charge d’Affairs Kun indicated that the project will effectively improve the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases as well as the ability to rescue emergency and severe cases.

According to him, the health cooperation mechanism and the drugs will help Liberia to better address the challenges from COVID-19 disease.

“It is commonly known that China and Liberia both belong to developing countries. We face many of the same challenges in a wide range of fields. Not so long ago, Chinese people also suffered from disease, which resulted from the poor public healthcare system and poor basic medical service system” he said.

He added, “The project we are going to sign today is a part of the Chinese Aid Projects in Liberia. To my understanding, the total budget of “Chinese Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital and Liberian J.F.K. Medical Center Internal Cardiovascular Medicine Dept.”

The Charge d’Affairs Kun said the Cooperative Project” is up to one million USD.

“This project will help J.F.K. Hospital to build an independent medical team comprised of 12 hospital beds, 4 cardiologists and 4 professional nurses, and will effectively improve the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment to the cardiovascular diseases as well as the ability to rescue emergency and severe cases” Mr. Kun said.

Also making remarks, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Health, Madam Norwu G. Howard, said the relationship between both countries has existed for many years.

She said the focus on health care and healing is bound to define their relationship and impact the lives of many for many years to come.

“The establishment of the Cardiovascular Unit at the nation’s premiere hospital will not only improve health care, but it will also build the capacity of health care providers and give the citizens hope and save many lives,” she said.

“Besides this project, I would like to announce good news that China will again donate a batch of aid materials to J.F.K. Hospital including 2 respirators, 16 oxygen masks, 240 boxes of Anti-Malaria drugs and 1,200 surgical masks. I believe this will help our Liberian brothers to better address the challenges from the disease.