Harbel, Margibi County –Vice President Joseph N. Boakai has hailed Children Surgery International (CSI) for their successful surgical mission that transformed the lives of more than 60 Liberian children at the Firestone Medical Center in Harbel, Margibi County.
Vice President Boakai referred to CSI as a “great partner”, noting without such organizations it is difficult for the nation to achieve all it plans to do.
Vice President Boakai was speaking over the weekend when he attended the closing program of the Children’s Surgery International at the Firestone Medical Center in Harbel, Margibi County.
The mission held under the theme Helping Liberia’s Children also conducted lectures and talks for medical personnel including medical students; four hundred and fifty attended in all during the lectures a release from the Office of the Vice President said.
Vice President Boakai praised the Firestone Medical Center for their role in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus and extolled the long standing ties between Firestone and Liberia saying even during the Ebola period Firestone did not leave Liberia.
He said the CSI was doing service to the children of Liberia with a smile and stressed that ‘a child from the village would have never had the opportunity to get a smile.
Some of the children that underwent the surgical procedures were born with physical defects, with the correction of those abnormalities they will be accepted back in their communities the Vice President pointed out.
Stating the purpose of the Mission to Liberia, CSI Board Member and Mission Lead Lora S. Koppel said they were glad that they are changing the lives of Liberian Children “one smile at a time”and noted that “to the beautiful children of Liberia we will be back in 2018.”
Margibi County Superintendent, John Gbowee speaking during the program said, “We are aware of challenges in the health sector, and that the Government will continue to take steps to improving the sector and spoke of the bill before the Legislature for the establishment of the Public Health Institute, a release from the Office of the Vice President said.