Weak law system such as people unlawfully taking away health facility resources or funds without any punishment.
Corruptions which includes, misappropriate used of funds, irrational used of resources and the failure of auditor to report the actual case if there is any because they negotiate with said administrator/s for little of nothing leaving the majority with the negative consequences and etc.
The phenomenon of a Liberian mentality sometime called Creb mentality which means, if I don’t get it, you can’t get it too.
Fear of losing job = this is one of the most important issue with regard to our struggle with modern medicine in Liberia.
Whenever people are been maltreated by their employer, they just have to choose whether to still on the job or speak on the issue and get fire.
Low salary for health workers = this is creating major problem psychologically among healthcare providers from the cleaner to the doctors except those in administrative position I don’t have any knowledge about because their distance with regard to patient care.
Health workers spend more than their income because of their under pay status in term of our economic deprivation such as; no price regulation, no control rate system and etc.
Having a lot of responsibilities under such economic condition, is like working just to get your daily bread (from hand to mouth) which is not what anyone will love to go to college for 4 to 5 years to get a BSc/BScN (Rn).
Now, Empathies this situation and imagine how is this person counselling a patient when he/she need counselling. I strongly believe that, this should be of paramount concern to stakeholder if we must have a modern day health care delivery system in our country Liberia.
Delayed in payment of salaries/incentives = Now, people are already complaining that they been underpay and over work due to low work force, and you don’t give them such low salaries/incentives on time. Before you even pay them, they are all indebted already.
Note: When your expense exceeds your income, the end result is death. What do you expect from those people?
They wouldn’t complain or take you to law because they are aware of a weak law system and therefore are afraid of losing their job when they speak on issues of concern.
On the contrary, they will remain mute and take away whatever things your institution has that is to their disposal.
Furthermore, some could decide to be reckless and verbally offensive on job due to your action, and guess who suffer this consequence, the patient. Again I say, When your expense exceeds your income, the end result is death.
- Low work force according to WHO standard ( 1 Rn to 5 patient) = According to WHO standard of quality Health care for patient, there should be 4-6 patients to one doctor or Rn which has never been and presently not happening in our country Liberia due to low man power
- Inadequate medical equipment = The lack of some medical equipment like CT Scan, ECG,EKG Ultrasonic Cleaners and ETC in almost 97% of our hospitals are some cause of Liberia Health system still struggling towards modern day medicine
- Why is it that the Liberian health system is struggling with modern day medicine? Am aware that the list is endless just add your
Way forward
*Let the law be effective within this ministry regardless of positions such as;
- Let there be an exclusive awareness on patients’ right and responsibilities from both governmental and non-governmental organizations. This will help the patients to know if their health care provider is doing the right thing or not keeping the health care providers under caution.
- Let health employee and administrators be sue by patients if they fail to do the right things. This will help minimize corruption ( Eg; people taking medical supplies that belongs to government institutions and carrying it to their private entity or selling them to private institutions either way) and other form of malpractices (Eg; paying less attention to patient care doing work hour).
- Let administrators be taken to court by their employees. With this ideology, those in administrative position will have a fear of doing wrong to their employees.
- Let employee be taken to court by their administrators if they carry on any form of malpractices. With this, employees will learn how to do the right things at the right time.
- Apart from patients privacy and information as regard to confidentiality, let there be freedom of speech for all as the organic law of the republic of Liberia on freedom of speech and the ― United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states;
“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
Wesseh Koiblee, Contributing Writer