GBARNGA, Bong County – A Liberian couple has established a 22-bed health center in Gbarnga, aiming to improve healthcare delivery and help address longstanding gaps in medical services available to residents of Bong County.
The New Hope Health Center, founded by Rev. Dr. James Labala and Rev. Dr. Anna Kaydor Labala, was built as part of the couple’s commitment to serving humanity through healthcare alongside their Christian ministry.
Speaking in an interview with The Liberian Investigator on Tuesday, Rev. Dr. Anna Kaydor Labala said the idea for the facility originated from a sermon preached by her husband about Jesus calling Peter to step out of the boat in faith. She said the message inspired him to pursue a vision of establishing a healthcare institution to serve people in need.
Dr. Labala explained that she later embraced the vision following a personal family experience when her son sustained severe burns but could not receive adequate treatment in Bong County because of the limited capacity of available health facilities. She added that persistent shortages of essential medicines at many public health facilities, worsened by the suspension of USAID-funded health support, further underscored the need for a modern healthcare facility in the county.
According to her, the couple initially planned to construct a clinic but later upgraded the project to a health center after recognizing the overwhelming demand for quality medical services. She said the facility has already begun offering partial services, including malaria testing, hemoglobin testing, skin snip examinations, typhoid, H. pylori, syphilis, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), complete urinalysis, liver function tests, kidney function tests and lipid profile testing. She disclosed that additional medical equipment has already arrived at the Freeport of Monrovia and will enable the health center to commence full operations.
“We have delivered our first baby and also treated a lot of people here,” Dr. Labala said, noting that the health center plans to introduce services that have long been unavailable in Bong County, including X-ray examinations and ultrasound imaging. “We have a lot of medical equipment underway,” she added.
Dr. Labala further disclosed that the facility is equipped with a 24-hour electricity supply and running water to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services. She encouraged residents of Bong County and surrounding communities to utilize the health center, expressing hope that it will help improve access to quality healthcare and reduce the need for patients to travel outside the county for specialized medical services.
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