Monrovia – More than ever before, the nation’s biggest referral hospital, John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, is prepared to deliver state-of-art medical care to patients, Chief Administrator, Dr. Jerry Browne, has disclosed.
Dr. Browne spoke Friday, July 27, when the hospital celebrated its 47th anniversary and displayed its ultra-modern equipment and other facilities taking the hospital back to its prewar status, when it was the envy of the sub-region in healthcare delivery.
“Our goal is to take people around us out of business. Gone are the days that patients will go across the road for laboratory checkup. One of the reasons we feel that people are building clinics and laboratories around here is because they feel that we are not competent to take care of our patients. Gone are the days that patients will go across the road do their laboratory tests and bring the results to us,” Dr. Browne emphasized.
He believes the modernization of the JFK would restore its confidence and trust in citizens. He called on the public to make use of the improved facility for their medical treatment rather than going to private hospitals around the country.
He disclosed that in support of the government’s pro-poor agenda, JFK under his watch is working on modalities to reduce fees patients pay for services.
“Another thing we hope to do is to reduce some of the prices, the prices at JFK here had not been pro-poor; but we can’t allow that to happen, so effective August, we will be coming out with a new price list with reduction in admission, the usages of the ambulance and other things. We are bringing down these prices to meet the need of the ordinary people,” Dr. Brown informed.
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital now has a renovated Surgical Theater, Emergency Room, Critical Care Unit, Out Patient Department. The E. S. Grant Mental Health Hospital was also renovated, a new Central Laboratory, a renovated pharmacy, a brand new 350KVA generator, Oxygen producing plant and a renovated warehouse.
All these projects were dedicated on the 47th Anniversary which was held under theme: “Making JFK The Hospital of Choice”.
The dedication of the projects was graced by President George Manneh Weah and First Lady Clar M. Weah.
Also speaking, Health Minister and Chair of the hospital’s board, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah, called on doctors and nurses in the country to serve the Liberian people diligently irrespective of their backgrounds, including areas of assignment. Minister Jallah called on the leadership of Liberian doctors to collaborate with the Ministry of Health in providing universal health care for all Liberians.
“Because as the government brings more provisions: better pay, better housing for the doctors they themselves also must perform; you have to be where you are assigned. Also I want to appeal to all our health workers to please learn how to talk to our patients, because the way you will even talk to a patient will make them get hope of getting well. Let us take time to address our patients as we push for universal health care,” Dr. Jallah advised.
The JFK Medical Center was built at the request of former Liberian President William VS Tubman, whose 1961 visit with US President John F. Kennedy laid the foundation for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding for a national medical center in Liberia
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