Report on trip to Liberia, April – May 2017.
Discussion with members of the medical community regarding plans of Liberia Medicals, Inc.
(Lowell Blog Post 2017)
I visited Liberia in April this year and met with members of the Liberian medical community to discuss plans and vision of Liberia Medicals, Inc., for Liberia. Those I met with include Dr. Moses Massaquoi, out-going president, Liberia Medical and dental Association (LMDA) and current director of Clinton healthcare access in Liberia; Dr. Rosetta Peal, president, post graduate medical residency program, A.M. Dogliotti school of medicine; Jewel Tarpeh kollie, medical intern; Jibao Musa, medical intern, and Karsor Kollie, physician assistant, director of non-communicable diseases, Ministry of health and social welfare.
My discussion centered on the goal of Liberia Medicals, to provide diagnostic services, laboratory and imaging, on a scale that covers almost all diagnostic work to enhance the effort of medical providers and therefore avoid patients or specimens being processed outside of the country. The three phases of Liberia Medicals’ plan roll out was discussed including preventive health services with the Ministry of health and collaboration with the school of medicine to have medical students do their clinical rotation at the center once fully operational.
I also discussed the phases of operational evolution, beginning with roll out of laboratory services in phases 1, 2 and 3, while raising funds for construction of the future home of a diagnostic center located in Fendell, where imaging equipment will then be set up for operation. They welcomed the plan and hope that it will become a reality rather soon, given the lack of such services in the country presently. I was also informed that the government of Liberia was considering construction of a diagnostic center and to contract operational services between the government and a management group, preferably by Liberians. However, they cautioned that they will only believe the government’s plan when they see it in reality; and, therefore advised that we do not abandon the envisioned plan of Liberia Medicals, Inc.
One of the concerns discussed was the availability of trained laboratory radiology technicians and any training institution for future technicians. It was confirmed that there is a school for laboratory science but not one for radiology technology, nor one for biomedical engineering. Repair technicians and engineers are usually imported from neighboring countries to provide services as needed thus far.
Our planning needs to include consideration for training of technicians.
