Tappita, Nimba County – The Jackson Fiah Doe Regional Referral Hospital, the only rural referral facility serving Lower Nimba County and surrounding regions, says it urgently needs an additional $4 million USD to sustain operations and meet the growing demand for healthcare services.
Despite catering to thousands of patients daily, the hospital is crippled by limited funding and a shortage of functional ambulances, putting lives at risk.
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Melvin M. Kabba-Kay and Administrator Julius N. Gleekia disclosed that although government allocates between $2.3 million and $2.4 million USD annually, nearly $1.8 million goes to salaries, leaving just about $500,000 to cover maintenance and operational costs for the entire hospital.
“With road improvements in the region, patient numbers have surged. We now receive cases not only from across Liberia but also from neighboring countries like Ivory Coast and Guinea,” Dr. Kabba-Kay explained.
Administrator Gleekia added that expanded facilities, including new oxygen supply systems, have significantly increased operational costs. He expressed concern that the hospital’s only ambulance is old and unreliable, undermining emergency response and critical patient transfers.
“The patient load grows daily due to better road access, but this also means we need stronger government support to meet these demands effectively,” Gleekia said.
Despite the constraints, the hospital continues to employ a team of highly trained doctors, including foreign medical professionals, who provide services at subsidized fees far lower than other hospitals in Liberia. This ensures affordable care for low-income rural patients.
The administrators are appealing to President Joseph Boakai, Vice President Jeremiah Koung, and the Legislature to increase the hospital’s budgetary allotment by at least $4 million USD, which they say will allow the facility to operate at full capacity and continue serving as a lifeline for Lower Nimba and neighboring regions.
The urgent appeal highlights the broader challenges facing rural healthcare facilities across Liberia, where limited resources are stretched thin against a backdrop of growing patient demand.
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