By Stephen N. Tokpah-Bong (freelance)
The Medical Director of Charles B. Dunbar Comprehensive Hospital, Arthur Jones Wuoh, has revealed that patients at the hospital are “No Longer Carrying Prescriptions to various pharmacies to buy drugs in Bong County.”
A prescription is a written order from an authorized medical practitioner for the provision of a medicine or other treatment.
Dr. Wuoh said that the hospital no longer gives patients prescriptions to go purchase medications from community drug stores.
He stated that this change comes after the introduction of the “Drugs Revolving Fund” at the hospital, which aims to streamline the way medications are provided to patients.
Dr. Wuoh disclosed that the ‘Drug Revolving Fund’ at the hospital is alleviating burdens on many patients who access the hospital facility, stating that many patients leave the hospital without paying a cent after treatment.
C.B. Dunbar is the only specialized maternal hospital in rural Liberia.
Its catchment community is over 60,000 people, and Wuoh said the hospital also caters to patients with maternal complications from bordering towns and villages within the Republic of Guinea.
He emphasized that the hospital is committed to ensuring that residents receive proper medical care and urged Bongese and Liberians to view the hospital as a vital resource for their health needs.
In addition to the changes in prescription services, Dr. Wuoh highlighted another pressing issue facing the hospital.
However, he mentioned that the hospital is still struggling to maintain its inpatient feeding program for patients due to a lack of funding.
This program is important for the well-being of patients, and the director is calling for more support to sustain it.
Dr. Wuoh pointed out that another challenge the hospital faces is the transportation for its staff.
He noted that without government-procured vehicles, it has become difficult for staff members to travel to and from the hospital.
The lack of transportation vehicle is hindering the hospital’s ability to provide timely and effective care to its patients.
He lauded the Bong County Council through Superintendent Hawa Loleyah Norris for the recent allocation to the hospital from the County Development Agenda.
Dr. Wuoh noted that they have received a cheque of US$23,000 from the county’s administration to buttress the CB Dunbar Hospital’s community pharmacy for patients seeking medication at the hospital.
The CB Dunbar Hospital Medical Director maintained that potion of the fund would be used for renovation work at the hospital, including building a security booth, and casting the front floor of the hospital to allow easy access of vehicles and windows.
“We are also hoping that the Bong County Legislative Caucus and the government of President Joseph N. Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah Koung can see reasons to increase the budget of the hospital in the 2025 National Budget,” Wuoh noted.
If the government cannot increase the hospital’s budget, Wuoh believes that the administration and patients will have to shoulder a more significant financial burden for surgeries, which are more costly than other treatments and procedures.
