By Precious D. Freeman
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) is calling on the government, through an advisory remote to President Weah, to declare the tragedy of the petrol tanker explosion as a National Disaster.
Speaking on behalf of the Agency, the Executive Director for NDMA, Henry O. Williams, said that the situation the victims are in is very serious, because if one is not strong enough, they might not be able to see them.
He made the statement yesterday when he and Bong County District 6 Representative, Moima B. Mensah, visited some of the victims that got affected from the petrol tanker explosion in Totota Township, lower Bong County.
According to him, he appreciates the health workers at the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Medical Hospital for their time and the extraordinary treatment being given to the victims.
He mentioned that the patients are lacking so many supplies at the hospital, which needs to be looked at immediately.
“We noticed that the hospital is running out of materials and drugs in order to take care of the victims, so it is very important that the items are given so that the victims can take their proper treatment,” he said.
Henry Williams mentioned that medicine and food items are seriously lacking, adding that the Disaster Agency is trying to get some quantity of rice in order to donate them to the victims’ families in Totota.
“We are calling on partners, the private sector, the UN, Abi Jouadi Supermarket, CEMENCO, among others, to help in providing these items, especially the medicine, because from what I just saw, JFK is running out of medicine, and if these supplies are not done, the death rate will increase, which will be very serious,” he said.
He, however, advised Liberians that whenever such situations occur, they should always keep off, and that securities are needed to get trained in this type of situation, and that the public also needs constant education for dangerous places like that.
Bong County District 6 Representative, Moima B. Mensah, expressed her sympathy to the victims and the bereaved families for such tragedy.
According to her, since the disaster occurred on Tuesday, December 26 in her district, she has not been able to rest nor sleep.
She explained that she and other institutions have been able to transport some of the victims to several hospitals such as JFK, ELWA Hospital, Catholic Hospital, and the 14 Military Hospital.
Madam Mensah furthered that the situation of the victims is very critical and that serious attention needs to be given to them, as well as good medication and food for them.
She maintained that there is a need for the National Government and other helping partners to help, because the situation is not meant for an individual.
“We all need to join our hands together in order to contribute to help save lives,” she said.
Meanwhile, she applauded the health workers at JFK, and her colleagues for their assistance so far, in making sure that the victims come through.
Speaking further, the Deputy CEO for Administration at JFK, Dama Yekeson Koffa, explained that, in total, they have received 29 patients, and three have died.
She added that most of the patients have severe degrees of burns, and that the CSI needs to help them in providing medication for the victims.
According to her, JFK is running out of medicine for the victims, and that the less attention they give them, the more the death rate will increase.
She mentioned that, right now, the major medication they need is the fluid, because as it stands now, the patients’ skins are not producing fluids any longer, so it would help them a lot.
She maintained that they also need lots of antibiotics, pain medication, and bandages. According to her, the patients are feeling severe pain based on the degree of wounds they have.
“The patients’ veins do not produce fluid any longer so they really need it, if not, all the fluid in their veins will dry up, which will cause more damage,” she said.
Madam Koffa indicated that some of the patients burned from their heads to their toes, under their armpits, and even their private parts, which is very critical.
She emphasized the importance of the antibiotics, because, according to her, some of them have third-degree burns, and that their skins have been open to lots of infections, which may damage them quickly.
She emphasized that the wounds will take time to heal, while some might not even heal fully because of the level of burn, as it has completely destroyed their cells and tissues in their bodies.
“We lost patients, and as time goes by, we might lose more patients, so we are calling on all of the district centers across Monrovia to reach out to their hospitals, which will be necessary,” she said.
It can be recalled that on Tuesday, December 26, several residents of Totota Township in lower Bong County, were either killed or severely burned, following the explosion of a 9,000-gallon fuel tanker in the aftermath of an accident, while heading to Gbarnga from Monrovia.
