ZWEDRU, Grand Gedeh County — Authorities at Martha Tubman Hospital in Zwedru City are appealing to philanthropists and humanitarian organizations to support the care and future of a young child who has been under the hospital’s care for more than one year after being temporarily left behind by his struggling mother.
By: Peter P. Toe, Jr., [email protected]
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Martha Tubman Hospital Administrator Thomas Neewary said the situation reflects a growing challenge the hospital has faced over the years involving vulnerable children from economically disadvantaged families.
Martha Tubman Hospital is currently the major referral health facility in Grand Gedeh County.
“This is not the first situation of its kind,” Neewary explained. “Over the years, children have been brought to the hospital by parents who are unable to adequately care for them because of hardship and other social challenges.”
According to him, hospital staff members have often gone beyond their professional responsibilities to provide care and protection for vulnerable children left in difficult circumstances.
Neewary recalled a previous case involving a mother of triplets, where the hospital, along with support from well-wishers including members of the Liberian diaspora community, assisted in reuniting the woman with her family and provided basic necessities, including mattresses and other forms of support.
Turning to the latest case, the hospital administrator said the child, identified as Abraham Richards, was first admitted to the hospital more than a year ago suffering from severe malnutrition.
“He was repeatedly brought to the hospital with the same condition,” Neewary stated. “Unfortunately, most of his family members are deceased, and the mother had limited means to care for him.”
He explained that the child was eventually left in the care of the hospital, prompting medical staff to intervene.
“Thankfully, through the intervention of the hospital and the commitment of one of our nurses, the child received proper treatment and recovered fully,” he added. “Today, he is healthy, active, and well-nourished.”
Despite the child’s recovery, Neewary expressed concern about his long-term welfare, especially regarding education, accommodation, food, clothing, and other essential needs.
“The child is now over three years old, and we are beginning to think seriously about his future, particularly schooling and proper upbringing,” he said.
Neewary disclosed that while there have been discussions surrounding possible legal options, the hospital does not intend to permanently separate the child from his mother.
“We believe the mother is facing serious hardship rather than intentionally abandoning her child,” he noted. “Our hope is that one day the child can be reunited with her under better circumstances.”
He emphasized that the hospital’s current administration is trying to ensure the child receives the care he deserves but warned that future administrative changes could affect the continuity of support.
“This child deserves a chance at a better future,” Neewary stressed. “That is why we are appealing to philanthropists and compassionate citizens to assist with school fees, food, clothing, accommodation, and other necessities.”
He also revealed that the hospital is currently caring for another child facing a similar situation, who has reportedly been under hospital support for the past seven years and is now 17 years old.
Meanwhile, Josephine Doe, who has been caring for Abraham Richards at her home, said the child has adjusted well and continues to improve.
“Since I took this child to my house, things have been good,” Doe explained. “His major problem was malnutrition, and children in such situations need proper nutrition and care.”
Doe, who works in the hospital’s nutrition department, also used the opportunity to encourage parents, especially mothers, to pay closer attention to the nutritional needs of their children, noting that the hospital continues to receive numerous malnutrition cases.
“As a mother myself, I felt deeply touched the first day I saw the child in that condition,” she said. “He is very smart and still recognizes his mother.”
She maintained that the hospital remains willing to reunite the child with his mother whenever she returns and is in a better position to care for him.
“For now, we are simply asking people of goodwill to help support this child’s future,” Doe added.
As Abraham Richards continues to grow under the care of nurses and medical staff at Martha Tubman Hospital, authorities say their greatest hope is to see him transition from a vulnerable child battling malnutrition into a healthy and educated young boy with a brighter future.
Hospital authorities believe that with timely support from compassionate individuals and organizations, the child can be given an opportunity to live a meaningful life despite the difficult circumstances surrounding his early childhood.
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