Congo Town – Cummings Africa Foundation has joined the fight against Covid-19 Pandemic in Liberia, as the country continues to battle the wave of the virus.
On Monday, July 27, in an effort to combat the pandemic, the foundation opened a treatment center at the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital in Congo Town and subsequently turned it over to the hospital’s administration for its operations and management.
The treatment center was opened with the provision of several medical supplies and equipment, in fulfillment of its US$150,000 commitment to help address the fight of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Liberia.
Speaking Monday, at the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital during the dedication, Cummings Africa Foundation Country Director, Dr. Wede Elliotte Brownell said the opening of the treatment center is the first out of six centers to be opened across Liberia as well as the supplies of equipment to 14 health centers in Montserrado, Nimba, Nomi and Maryland Counties.
“Over the last few weeks, Cummings Africa Foundation has worked with several hospitals and health centers to identify the most urgent needs per medical facility to effectively respond, as part of its commitment to the national fight against the deadly coronavirus disease,” Dr. Brownell said.
Dr. Brownell said the remaining five treatment centers will be established at the C. H. Rennie Hospital in Kakata, Margibi County, Government Hospital in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, G.W. Harley Hospital in Sanniquellie, Nimba County and Jereline Koung Medical Center in Ganta, Nimba County.
She said these centers are expected to be opened over the course of the next two
weeks.
According to her, the establishment of the treatment centers is to increase the capacity of existing hospitals and clinics to effectively treat COVID-19 Cases.
Medical supplies presented to the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital include two Oxygen Concentrators, 10 Oxygen Regulators, 15 Oximeters, 2,000 Gloves, 1,000 Face Masks 5, 000 Paracetamol Pills, 5,000 Zinc Pills, 6,000 Vitamin C Pill, 3,000 Azithromycin Pill, 1,000 Selenium Pill, Bed and other hygienic supplies.
Dr. Brownell place the cost of the donation, to include a bed at US$12, 000 (Twelve Thousand United States Dollars).
She further maintained that the foundation will cover the fill cost of transportation and logistics in getting the donation to 14 hospitals and clinics designated to receive them.
“To expedite the process given the nature of the COVID-19 emergency, almost all items were procured locally from existing suppliers,” Dr. Brownell averred.
At the same time, Brownell said the total items to be donated to the health centers include, 24, 000 (twenty-four thousand)Face Masks, 12,000 (twelve thousand) pairs of gloves, 200 (two hundred) Oximeters, 107 (One Hundred and Seven) Regulators, 92 (Ninety-Two) Oxygen Canisters and Four Oxygen Concentrators). Others are the Assortment of Medicines to include Paracetamol, Azithromycin, Selenium, Zinc and Vitamin C, Assortment of Hygiene and Cleaning Supplies.
Receiving the supplies and representing the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital Administration at the opening ceremony, Dr. Senga R. Omeonga lauded Cummings Africa Foundation for the gesture, noting that it is the second of it kinds the institution has reached out to them, since the outbreak of the third wave of Covid-19 Pandemic in Liberia.
He termed the donation as timely, and that it comes as a rescue to the hospital.
“You firstly came at a time when we needed Oxygen mostly, and then you gave come back because you think it was not enough and that we needed more,” Dr. Omeonga stated.
Dr. Omeonga assured Cummings Africa Foundation that the treatment center and medical supplies will be used to address the needs of patients coming to the St. Joseph Catholic Hospital.
