Redemption Hospital risks shut down

Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Francis Kateh says if nothing is done to remedy a financial crisis at the Redemption Hospital in New Krun, the closure of the facility and other government – run facilities is about to happen.

Dr. Kateh told ECOWAS Radio on Thursday, 12 April that Redemption Hospital and three other public health facilities in the Southeastern region of Liberia are facing serious financial crisis.

Redemption Hospital is one of Liberia’s major referral hospitals, but Dr. Kateh says he has received calls from these major hospitals complaining that they do not have funding to carry out their regular hospital activities and pay vendors.

The health official says he has spoken to the Minister of Finance to expedite the release of funding allocated to the affected institutions to enable them meet their obligations.

According to Dr. Kateh, he visited Redemption Hospital on Wednesday, 11 April and put in place a mechanism to ensure that the hospital becomes fully operational so that patients do not lose their lives.

He has also promised to reach out to other affected hospitals in the Southeast, indicating that health authorities will ensure that services are restored to save the lives of Liberians.

Dr. Kateh says the Ministry of Health is working with all the key stakeholders to ensure that the issue of healthcare is fully addressed.The looming interruptions in the operations of several of Liberia’s major health facilities have sparked major concerns in several of the Country’s poor communities.

This comes in the wake of the Country’s desire to focus on preventive care for a healthy nation.Dr. Keteh says the hospital is in dire need of funds, drugs and other essential materials to effectively provide medical services to patients.

He says the hospital has and continues to provide free medical treatment to vulnerable population of the country who lack the means of paying their medical bills for treatment that the hospital provides.

Dr. kateh says it is disheartening to see Redemption Hospital on the verge of closing down its operations simply because of many challenges it faces.Earlier receiving Dr. Kateh at Redemption Hospital, the Administrator Mr. Dominic R. Rennie informed Dr. Ketteh that the hospital did not have operational funds which make effective operations difficult.

By Bridgett Milton & Emmanuel Mondaye–Edited by Winston W. Parley