President Sirleaf & Visiting Doctors

The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York has begun discussions aimed at establishing long-term partnership with the JFK Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia. The partnership will involve exchange programs between the two hospitals involving Doctors and nurses of the two institutions, capacity building as well as other collaborative programs to enhance the capacity of the JFK Medical Center.

According to an Executive Mansion release, the disclosure was made Thursday when visiting Doctors from Mount Sinai paid a courtesy call on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at the Foreign Ministry in Monrovia.

The President said the presence of the medical team in Liberia has made a big difference because their work has helped to save lives. She lauded the group for the services being rendered the country and its people. The President lamented the dysfunctional health care delivery system of the country due to the civil conflict. “It is a big sacrifice when you contribute your talents, time and resources,’ adding ‘we can not pay you for the many lives that you will touch and save.”

The Liberian leader also thanked the medical team for traveling to the Phebe hospital in Bong County to provide free medical services for residents in the area. The President described the decision by the group to travel to Bong as an act of service which goes beyond the extra mile. She lauded the sharing of talents between the visiting Doctors and their local counterparts. The experience, the President noted will go a long way in enhancing the capacity of local doctors.

The visiting Doctors thanked the President and Liberians for the support and warm reception since their arrival in the country. The Doctors announced that all equipment brought in to facilitate their work will be donated to the country.

The visit of the Doctors is in response to a request by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for doctors to visit Liberia to assist with the country’s overwhelming medical needs. Nearly 30 Doctors arrived in the country over the weekend and are now rendering surgical and other medical services to patients free of charge.

The visit is being sponsored by a USA-based Liberian NGO, Project Momentum, in partnership with the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York and the Clinton Global Initiative. Project Momentum, headed by its founder and CEO, Dougba Caranda-Martin III, has shipped medical aid to Liberia totaling more than US $9-million dollars. The John F. Kennedy Medical Center and ELWA hospital have been among recipients for the aid.

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(Source: Government of Liberia)

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