On June 20, 2019, the sad and very depressing news of the Death of my only living, younger brother, Counselor-at-Law David Deilue Gbala shocked me, almost, to death. For, I am sick and unable to attend the funeral-burial gathering of my family at home in Meabloh, Kaneh Clan, Grand Gedeh County. Now, today the death of one of Liberia’s brave and out-spoken political leaders, my “small Brother” Cllr. Charlie Brumskine in the USA, shocked me, also, almost, to death. For, I am still sick and waiting for non-immigrant visa to travel to the USA for medical services not available in Liberia at this time.
I have written tributes to many, how many is not important now, because my own life is only a matter of time. I experienced many deaths, including the deaths of my Father, the legendary tribal leader-fighter, Kwiah Gbala; his Brother the brave Kwiah Kahn; loving Mother Seowah Deh-Gbala; older Sister Gwian Wachen Gbala and youngest brother John Blee Gbala.
Now David is gone and it will be me, sooner or later – that’s life and death. But the most depressing and troubling problem of these deaths and thousands of others was and are that they are due to curable diseases for which service treatments are not available in Liberia.
It is not for me to write a tribute to my brother, David Gbala, or to “small Brother” Charlie Brumskine, only to say that these deaths have left a void, an empty space in the respective families and the nation that cannot be filled forever. I told one of my nephews, Mr. Stanley Siah, when he broke the news to me that “I do not know what to say or do for the many, young, growing family members of children – grand and great-grand children who need advice, counsel and support. My God, there are so much to do in this selfish, corrupt, wicked, dangerous and sinful world!!
Only be thankful because I lived a long, resourceful life. For example, one of six daughters said to me, “Daddy, I wish that I could live as long as you have. Young men and women are dying every day around us”.
Liberia’s (our) Healthcare Delivery System
I have written several articles on this critical and crucial national issue that ignores hundreds of thousands or millions of deaths, annually, due to curable disease in Liberia, but for which there are no service treatment in the country. In other words, hundreds of thousands or millions of Liberian patients die in Liberia of diseases that can be cured, but for which there are no service treatment in Liberia.
Indeed, it is the fact of Liberian History that all Liberian Hospitals, Clinics and Doctors have been and are, to this day, high-class Pharmacists for foreign drug makers, including faked/medications; they (the hospitals, clinics and doctors) diagnose only the disease, but lacked the capacity to treat the disease, because they were not and are not organized to treat the disease, since 1847.
According to Liberian medical history, the late, former President William V. S. Tubman, whose vision and dedicated actions created the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, died in the foreign, London, UK, Clinic. The JFK Memorial, Liberia’s premier Medical Center that replaced the ancient Government Hospital, was described by a visiting group of US Medical Doctors on a fact-finding mission of Liberia’s Healthcare Delivery institutions as “a place one goes to die”.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
Earlier, I wrote that the JFK is corrupt, dilapidated and with drugs prices unaffordable by the average citizen, where and when available, due to massive stealing of public resources -corruption.
Additionally, the new “state-of-the-art” Jackson F. Doe Memorial Hospital built in the City of Tapita, Nimba County is not reachable because of lack of roads and related means of transport infrastructure. The towns and villages in Nimba County cannot get to the Hospital, nor the towns and villages of the surrounding Counties. Recent reports of confusions between the Jackson F. Doe and Monrovia indicated that most of the prime, medical equipment of the Jackson F. Doe hospital is down with no service for replacement expected.
Historically, government officials, the politically-connected and wealthy Liberians have been and are flown out of Liberia for medical services because of lack of medical services-treatment of curable diseases in Liberia. Recent examples of this culture are several Liberian government officials flown out of Liberia to Ghana, South Africa, etc. Some, even, died in those countries. The most recent, celebrated cases are about Cllr. Charles Brumskine flown to and now died in the USA for treatment and Cllr. Varney Sherman who was flown, also, to the USA for brain Tumor, now back home.
Indeed, that Liberian Hospitals, Clinics and Doctors lack the required medical service treatment for such diseases, including ear (loss of hearing), throat, skin (itches, swelling feet) and others for which Dr. Francis Addai, then of Fidelity Clinic, found, truthfully, and recommended the foreign option as the best to save my life for painless and peaceful Elderly life.
The critical issues raised by my request for Non-Immigrant Visa are (1), the fact that Liberian hospitals and Clinics do not possess the capacity to treat the diseases identified because they (the Liberians hospitals and Clinics) are not organized to treat the diseases and that (2), there is need, therefore, for medical, public policy review and improvement action.
Redeeming Liberia’s Healthcare Delivery System
Addressing our nation’s Healthcare System lies in placing emphasis on the training of Liberian doctors in all areas of medical practice and providing the Liberian doctors with in-service, continuing education in the new developing medical technology. This training should and must include medical technicians, not breaking grounds for constructions of new hospitals without trained Liberian doctors. What Liberia need are trained and experienced Liberian doctors and medical technicians for the hospitals now in operation, not more “high-class Pharmacists” for foreign drug makers, including faked drugs.
Along, Long Life
June 20, 2019
The sad and very depressing news of the passing of my only living brother, Counselor-at-Law David Deilue Gbala, shocked me, almost, to death. For, I am sick, very sick, cannot walk on my own and not able to attend the funeral gathering of the family at home in Meabloh, Kaneh.
I have written tributes to many, how many is not important now, because my own life is now only a matter of time. I saw the death of our Father, the legendary fighter Kwiah Gbala, the “Weinkuyon” and his Brother, our Uncle, the brave Kwiah Kahn, loving Mother Seowah Deh-Gbala, older Sister Gwian Wachen Gbala, younger brother John Blee Gbala. Now, it is David; it will be me, sooner or later – that’s life or death!
It is not for me to write a tribute to my brother, only to say that the death of Cllr. David Gbala has left an eternal empty space in Meabloh, Kaneh, Grand Gedeh County that cannot be filled – forever. Like I told one of my nephews, Stanley Siah, this morning when he broke the news, I do not know what to say or do. There are many, young, growing family members of children, great, and great grandchildren who need advice, counsel and support. My God, there are so much to do in this selfish, jealous, wicked, sinful world!
But thankful because I lived a long life. For example, one of six daughters said to “Daddy, I wish that I could live as long as you have. Young men and women are dying every day around us.
