MONROVIA-The “controversial” Political Leader of the opposition Liberty Party, (LP) and Grand Bassa County Senator, Nyonblee Karnga –Lawrence has acknowledged the positive strives President George Weah has made as reflected in his State of the Nation (SONA).
Senator Lawrence urges President Weah to be truthful to the people of Liberia concerning his deliverables for the past five years.
She said while the construction of the two hospitals is laudable, it is equally important that the true state of the healthcare system must be told by the president.
“Today it is an open secret that hospitals and clinics across the country have no drugs, no electricity, no fuel for ambulances, no beds to cater to patients amid insufficient doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff to provide lifesaving care’’ she said.
The female Senator further said that there is an incessant wave of protest actions by health workers over failed promises by the Weahto to respond to their plight.
“Health facilities in many counties are struggling to function because the decentralization of health policy faces serious challenges, I need not emphasize how it has become very difficult for the government to attract and retain professional health workers willing to be deployed in the interior and underserved areas due to lack of social amenities, which among others, include, electricity, pipe-borne water, housing, and better roads, while low salaries and lack of incentives also pose a major drawback,” she said.
She further that in the face of these predicaments, qualified doctors and medical consultants are forced into retirement while still capable of practicing and well-experienced without a better pension.
“Officials of this government have the luxury of getting on flights to seek care in foreign countries while all the public hospitals remain non-functional with a consistent short-change in their budgetary allotments’’ she noted.
The LP’s Political Leader said despite pleas from her in the Senate to increase the budgetary allotment for healthcare, the majority vote in the legislature continuously outweighs her, and others’ stance, while the insufficient amounts approved for operations are always delayed or never forthcoming.
This is unacceptable.
“As we review the new health policy before the legislature, we will champion an affordable drug-revolving cost at public hospitals, to eliminate the high payment of fees by patients to purchase their own materials and drugs before they are treated, or are turned back if the costs are not affordable” she indicated.
According to her such will help to sustain the hospitals, always have drugs available, and stop the payment of high illegal fees that are not accounted for among others.
She indicated In the regular payment of WAEC and WASSEC fees for students in 9th and 12th grades as indicated in President Weah’s address was commendable.
“We note with caution, however, that these interventions can boost our regional and global competitiveness if only the Government pays attention to the issues of quality backed by an increase in budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Education and the universities” she noted.
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