The Chair Faculty of Family Medicine at ELWA Hospital in Paynesville urges stakeholders in Liberia to invest more in the health sector here.
Dr. David Okiror says the health system operates like the military and needs military-like solutions to overcome the health challenges of our time.
Speaking over the weekend when he was honored as Outstanding Medical Practitioner in Liberia for 2021 held at ELWA Hospital in Paynesville outside Monrovia, Dr. Okiror said, “The military does not wait for enemies to attack but prepares ahead of time and constant reconnaissance to stay ahead of the enemies.”
He stresses that Liberia needs bold solutions through research to challenge antibiotic resistance, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases like Cancer, Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity.
“The military has a strict hierarchy and chain of command and so is medicine, we have various cadres who pass the law down the ranks and must be obeyed without question.” He adds.
According to him, both the military and the health sector pay the ultimate sacrifice while in their jobs.
“I always tell my resident doctors that if you harbor fear for catching sickness or ultimately paying the price for life, then the practice of medicine is not for you.”
He reminds health practitioners to fight against organisms that are invisible and are constantly evolving to challenge the very foundation of science, and that development of medicines has been challenged more than before, adding that civilization and human advances are under threat by diseases like COVID-19, Ebola, Marburg, etc.
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Dr. Okiror: “I remember during the time of Ebola epidemic; the American Government sent the military here to Liberia to provide technical and tactical support to the Government of Liberia that is why I say military-like solutions are needed in the medical world like never.” Editing by Jonathan Browne
