Gbarpolu County – The Chairman of Unity Party’s Gbarpolu County chapter, Loseni Siryon has donated two cartoons of essential and supplementary medications value over LRD$20,000.00 to Gbaryamah health facility in Goungbayah Chiefdom.
“We have listened to many complaints in the communities around this clinic and in this chiefdom about health workers giving paper to patients to go and buy drugs because of no drug at the clinic and it is true,” Siryon said during the donation.
“This is why I have tried in my own way and on behalf of the UP to buy these small medicines to close some of the drug shortage faced by government especially here at this Gbaryamah Clinic”. He said although the supply is not sufficient, it should be used wisely to treat emergency cases and save lives and then presented the supply to county superintendent while promising to also make more donations to other health facilities in across the county.
He said although the supply is not sufficient, it should be used wisely to treat emergency cases and save lives and then presented the supply to county superintendent while promising to also make more donations to other health facilities in across the county.
Superintendent Armah M. Sarnor praised the ruling party for “thinking positive of the health problem faced by citizens of the county,” and said drug shortage is not unique to Gbarpolu.
He urged locals to channel concerns to the county health board through their respective community health development committee and thanked the health workers for being “mindful in their professional work and tolerant in the midst of difficult time like these (drug shortage).” He also reassured government’s commitment to rebuilding a strong and resilient community health system.
Receiving the supplies on behalf of the community, the chief elder of Goungbayah Chiefdom, Momo Torbor, thanked the UP chair for thinking about the survival of the people.
“This medicine here today will help save our children from malaria, diarrhea and other sicknesses. Our big belle will get medicine on time this time around,” the chief said, recalling challenges communities face due to a drug shortage. “The people have named our clinic the short paper clinic but from today on we will call it cartoons of drugs clinic.”
Bendu Kamara, head of women group, lauded the donation and described it as a timely gesture. “Our women suffered because of no drug. Some of them, many times, walk to Chief Jallah Lone hospital and met the same paper,” she said. “Our people have some time refused to do work at the clinic because of this same problem,” she said, warning that the situation puts strain on the relationship between the community and the health workers.
Korto Jackson, a health worker at the clinic, said the drugs will be used wisely to help regain the community’s confidence in the health delivery system.
For his part, the community youth chairman said it was a “timely life-saving donation”, while a clan chief, Boakai Gballey, urged the citizens to communicate the “good message” about the availability of drugs at the clinic.
“Stop taking country medicines and always seek advices at the clinic,” he warned.
The drug donation included cotramazole 48MG, paractamol 500MG, amodaquie while supplementary drugs included folic acid, Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS), ranger lactate 500ML/1000ML, Gas tablet 500M etc.
Gbarmayah Clinic is situated in Gbaryamah Town and has eight catchment communities within Goungbayah Chiefdom in Bopolu administrative. It is a public run health facility which means all services and medications are free of charge.
Report by: Henry Gboluma, Jr.
