Phebe, Bong County – The Carter Center Liberia Mental Health Program has donated a vehicle worth over US$43,000 and several mental health books valued at over US$7,000 to the Phebe Nursing School in Bong County.
The donation is aimed at enhancing the effort of the nursing school in taking students for clinical trials in rural locations.
For the Phebe school administration, the donation came at the time it is most needed as it will mitigate the challenges facing the school.
The Chief Medical Officer at the Phebe Hospital, Jefferson Sibelia assured Carter Center that the donation would be used for its intended purpose.
“The vehicle is so important, the student will have to practice and they will need transportation, this was one of the challenges other cohort has been having. I’m so happy, these books are very important you can’t just easily find these books anywhere, having these hard copies is something important,” Sibelia said.
Sibelia added that the way he sees the program moving, if things continue, success is sure.
“We see some success, this is in the direction of improving our mental health system in the country and strengthening the institution,” he said.
The Carter Center Mental Health Program Lead Dr. Janice Cooper said, a basic training program in mental health adopted by Phebe School of Nursing is a wonderful opportunity for Carter Center.
“As we agreed to partner with JSI to support as much as we can, by conducting at least two cohorts basic training in mental health, we are trying to find the necessary funding to continue it,” Dr. Cooper said.
“We bought some books that Phebe School of Nursing can use in its work; to me this is like my baby, anytime if I have, I have to help,” Dr. Cooper added.
From 2010 through 2015, the Carter Center and its partners trained and graduated 187 mental health clinicians.
The Center’s partnership with Liberia’s Ministry of Health and the Liberian Board of Nursing and Midwifery also has resulted in an accreditation exam for graduating mental health clinicians.
These accredited clinicians now work throughout the country in all sectors of health service delivery, and at least one mental health clinician works in each of Liberia’s 15 counties.
