Grand Gedeh County – Last Mile Health, a non-governmental organization working with the ministry of Health recently turned over a modern maternal waiting home to the people of Konobo in Grand Gedeh County.
The structure comprises four (4) beds rooms, two (2) bathrooms, a conference hall and short stage.
Last Mile Health County Manager Ben said the Maternal Waiting Home will go a long way in helping to reduce the difficulties pregnant women endure in Konobo district.
The Maternal Waiting Home will host pregnant women awaiting delivery. Health practitioners assigned at the waiting Home will support and give care to pregnant women according to health authorities in the County.
The initiative was undertaken with support from the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health in effort to host pregnant women waiting for delivery.
Last Miles Health is an international non-governmental organization collaborating with the government of Liberia to ensure access to quality primary health services for those living in remote communities in Liberia.
The organization is involved with recruiting, training, equipping, and managing Community Health Workers to serve as formal extensions of the primary health system.
“We are doing our best to bring critical health services to the doorsteps of people living in the World’s hardest to reach places.” Ben noted.
Speaking at the dedication at Konobo Health Center in Ziah Town, Mr. Grant said the project started in 2013 after conducting an intensive survey which shows that there is need for such facility in the district. He lauded the people of Konobo District for the level of cooperation shown the organization over the years.
“We will remain grateful to the people of Konobo District for the cooperation shown us over the years,” Grant said.
Mr. Grant pledged the organization’s commitment to supporting ‘big belle’ and the people of Konobo district in providing quality health services. He called on the people to take ownership of the facility and work with health workers to keep the Maternal Waiting Home running.
For his part, Last Mile Health Site Manager in Konobo District said the construction of the maternal waiting homes will reduce the long distances pregnant and patients travel to seek quality health delivery services in the District.
“It was challenging to our women traveling long distances to access good health care especially when the government said delivery should be done at every community health facility with trained midwifery”. Moses Geply said.
Speaking on behalf of the Grand Gedeh County Health Team, the community promoter focus person Bill Mansah thanked Last Miles Health for their contribution and commitment to buttressing the effort of the Ministry in providing substantial health services to Liberians.
Mr. Mansah said this gesture will allow the County Health Team sufficient space for holding pregnant women pending delivery. The community health Focus person for also challenged the people of Konobo District to take ownership of the facility and maintain it.
“I want to thank Last Miles Health for remembering us in our difficult times. We were suffering, walking long distances, and, some of us died in the process of bringing forth babies,” said Elizabeth Belleh, Spokeperson, Big Belle Association, Konobo District. She urged the Last Miles Health and other partners to educate their husbands on the importance of the facility.
The dedication ceremony was attended by an array of high profile officials in the county including Grand Gedeh County Project Planer, Washington Yonly who lauded the effort of last Miles health for the initiative.
Konobo District is some 65km southeast away from Zwedru, the provisional capital of Grand Gedeh County. The district is one of those densely populated areas with deplorable road conditions. Pregnant women on many occasions would ride motorbikes to access health delivery services in Ziah Town, the District seat.
The use of the maternal waiting home is expected to ease the burden on pregnant women in the rural areas.
Report By: Moses Geply