HARPER, Maryland County — Partners In Health Liberia has donated medical equipment valued at US$71,000 to the Maryland County health system, in a move expected to strengthen patient monitoring, diagnosis and treatment at the J.J. Dossen Memorial Hospital in Harper and other supported health facilities in the county.
By Peter P. Toe, Jr., [email protected]
The donation was formally made on Friday, August 28, 2026, with the equipment handed over to the Maryland County Health Team.
The package includes 23 patient monitors, two Butterfly portable ultrasound machines, two infusion pumps and an endoscopy machine, among other medical and non-medical equipment.
The donation is part of Partners In Health Liberia’s continued collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Maryland County Health Team to strengthen healthcare delivery in the county.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Dr. Sarah Anyango, Interim Director of Clinical and Medical Education Services at Partners In Health Liberia, said the intervention is aimed at building a stronger and more resilient health system in Liberia.
Dr. Anyango said the 23 patient monitors are expected to improve the monitoring of critically ill patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Emergency Room at J.J. Dossen.
She explained that the monitors will be positioned above patients’ beds, allowing health workers to monitor vital signs, including blood pressure, pulse and other vital indicators, in real time.
“This new arrangement will also reduce the workload on nurses who previously had to move limited monitoring equipment from one patient to another.” She stated.
Dr. Anyango said Partners In Health also provided two Butterfly ultrasound machines to improve diagnostic services at the hospital.
She said the endoscopy machine will support the surgical department and operating room by allowing healthcare workers to examine the gastrointestinal system, identify conditions such as internal bleeding and provide timely treatment.
Two infusion pumps were also donated to support the administration of intravenous fluids and medications.
Dr. Anyango said the equipment was provided after the J.J. Dossen medical team identified gaps in diagnostic and patient-monitoring capacity.
She explained that the lack of some specialized equipment has sometimes resulted in patients being referred to Monrovia for diagnostic services.
For critically ill patients, she said, such referrals can be particularly difficult because of the long distance they must travel while already sick.
The new equipment, she said, is expected to increase the hospital’s ability to provide specialized diagnostic and treatment services closer to patients in Maryland and the wider Southeast.
Receiving the equipment on behalf of the county, Dr. Methodius George, Maryland County Health Officer, thanked Partners In Health for identifying gaps within the health system and supporting the county in addressing them.
Dr. George said the patient monitors are particularly important because of the number of critically ill patients being treated at J.J. Dossen.
He noted that the hospital previously had limited monitoring equipment, including situations where several critically ill patients had to depend on a small number of available monitors.
With the new equipment, he said, patients in critical-care areas will have better access to continuous monitoring of their vital signs.
However, Dr. George said the increase in equipment and monitored beds also means the county must continue strengthening its healthcare workforce, particularly nurses who will be responsible for monitoring and responding to patients.
He praised the long-standing relationship between Partners In Health and the Maryland County Health Team, describing the partnership as one based on collaboration, coordination and teamwork.
Dr. George said the progress made in Maryland’s health sector is partly a result of the partnership, through which government and development partners identify gaps and jointly develop strategies to address them.
Dr. Shadrach K. Gono, Medical Director of J.J. Dossen Memorial Hospital, also welcomed the donation, saying the equipment will strengthen the hospital’s ability to provide quality care.
Dr. Gono said ultrasound equipment is important for proper diagnosis, allowing health workers to examine patients rather than relying on assumptions about what may be causing an illness.
He said the new patient monitors will also improve the monitoring of blood pressure, pulse, respiration and oxygen saturation.
According to Dr. Gono, the Emergency Room previously had only about one monitor despite having several patients.
The newly donated monitors, he said, will now be mounted at patients’ bedsides, allowing their vital signs to be monitored and recorded more efficiently.
Dr. Gono also highlighted the endoscopy machine, describing it as a major addition to the hospital’s diagnostic and treatment capacity.
He said the hospital had previously faced challenges with endoscopy services but now has a new machine that will allow the facility to further strengthen its services.
The officials also pointed to J.J. Dossen’s growing role as a referral facility beyond Maryland County.
Dr. Anyango said the hospital is receiving critically ill patients from Maryland as well as neighboring counties.
Dr. George similarly noted that patients from Grand Kru, River Gee, Grand Gedeh, Sinoe and other parts of Liberia seek care at J.J. Dossen.
The officials said the ultimate goal of the intervention is to improve diagnosis, strengthen critical-care services, reduce avoidable referrals and ensure that patients receive timely and quality healthcare closer to home.
The donation comes as Partners In Health continues its long-standing collaboration with the Maryland County Health Team and the Ministry of Health to strengthen healthcare delivery in Maryland County.
The J.J. Dossen Memorial Hospital in Harper and Pleebo Health Center in Pleebo City are among the health facilities supported through the broader health-system partnership in Maryland County.
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