Bishop, JFK in words of war

Services at the state-owned John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia continue to receive widespread criticisms here with the latest coming from a Liberian clergyman, but the JFK Management has excepted. 

The hospital has encountered various allegations of poor services other misconducts, including report of sexual assault against a female patient. Now the Regional Bishop of the Tabernacle of Praise Association of Churches in Liberia Jackson G. Weah says the JFK hospital lacks trained doctors and nurses therefore, services to the public are found wanting.

Bishop Weah, who also chairs the Bridge of Hope Girls School in Monrovia, further accused the JFK management of turning the government hospital into a money making center. He made these assertions at the 16th graduation of the Messiah Christian Academy High School in Ganta, Nimba County, while serving as keynote speaker for the ceremony.

He said, rather than providing quality treatment to patients, the hospital has become a place for money making. Bishop Weah reminded that the primary duty of a hospital is to save life, instead of putting money first.

“Like me tell you, the John F. Kennedy Hospital, which is the only national hospital in the Country, requests money from people before treating them. How can a government hospital collect money from sick people before providing treatment?” Bishop Weah wondered.

He noted that due to the weak health facility in Liberia, the Ebola Virus killed many persons during the outbreak. The Bishop however urged the graduates to remain steadfast in their academic pursuit to professionally serve the country.

However, the Bishop’s criticisms have received sharp response from the JFK with its head of communication, Amara Mohammed Kamara, accusing the man of God of not directing his message at unifying Liberians but rather to create trouble.

According Kamara, about eighty percent of the services at JFK are provided free of charge, while few requires funding from patients. He told our correspondent the hospital is one of the best health facilities in the country, saying “We train medical doctors and nurses; how can a man of God made such a statement?”

The Messiah Christian Academy High School graduated 194 students with only 16 of them making successful passes in the West African Examination Council or WAEC exams. Meanwhile, the school Principal, Mr. Clinton Gonquoi, has appealed to government to provide subsidy to private schools across the country.

He said if such help is extended, it would help to boost the nation’s educational system, which has been described as a mess. Mr. Clinton stressed a need for government to support private institutions across the board because they are all helping to educate the future leaders of Liberia.

By Franklin Doloquee, Nimba –Editing by Jonathan Browne