The Children Surgery International (CSI), in partnership with Firestone Liberia, has ended a one-week surgical operation at the Firestone Medical Center in Duside.
The initiative, which runs from January 22 to 25, 2024, is aimed at renewing the hopes and brightening the futures of Liberia’s Children in Margibi County.
The team carried out successful life-changing surgeries on 87 patients between the ages of 0 to 20 years with general pediatric conditions, including imperforate anus, hernias, and hypospadias.
The surgeries were done at no cost to the child and family, as it is Children Surgery International’s 13th mission to Liberia since its establishment.
The head of the CSI Mission, Laura Koppel, expressed joy that CSI was once again able to return to Liberia to provide free medical care to dozens of Liberian children who desperately needed help.
She said that Liberia is one of CSI’s favorite missions and for as long as they can, it will continue to assist Liberian children with essential surgeries and provide free trainings for medical staff at Firestone Hospital and other places.
Children’s Surgery International is a nonprofit group of volunteer American doctors who provide free surgical services for children in need. The group has built partnerships with local hospitals and conducts surgical mission trips to some of the poorest regions of the world.
CSI first partnered with Firestone Liberia in 2010, and since then, the mission has only failed to come to the country during the Ebola epidemic that affected Liberia, and the Corona Virus Pandemic.
During the period of CSI visits to Liberia, more than 900 children have received free surgical operations.
Firestone’s partnership with CSI speaks of the company’s commitment to ensuring access to essential life needs, including medical care, and improve the dignity of its employees and contractors, as well as those living in bordering communities.
Remarking during the closing ceremony on January 27, 2024, Firestone’s Medical Director, Benedict Wollor, said, “We are grateful to once again have CSI visiting our hospital to provide this essential medical care for our children.”
“We cannot thank you enough for what you do for us every year. Firestone Medical Center remains committed to providing important medical services for our teammates and the community,” he noted.
CSI’s 13th mission to Liberia this year began with its usual community outreach activities. The team visited the C.H. Rennie Hospital in Duside and presented essential medical supplies that the hospital desperately needed.
They also visited the Liberian Children Village Orphanage, the Faith Old Folks Home in Unification Town, and the Kolu Sokodolo School, and donated supplies, including food, toys, and medication.
In addition to these donations, more than 7,000 children received deworming medications, both within and outside of the concession area.
The team also provided several training opportunities for the medical staff at the Firestone Medical Center, in order to enhance their abilities to effectively carry out their work.
Local medical staff, Esther Russell Assaf, referred to the training as necessary, stating that it broadened her horizon and gave her a better perspective on how to do her work more effectively.
“It has widened my knowledge; it has given me more idea on what to do. From the training, I realized that there is a lot more that I could do, even with limited resources. It has given me more knowledge on how to manage these conditions in even more simple ways,” she intoned.
Mary G. Matala, the mother of 10-year-old Richard Matala, who received surgery for a small abdomen wall mass, expressed her gratitude to Children Surgery International for successfully solving her son’s problem.
She explained that Richard was born with the problem, but over time, it got worse and began causing him some discomfort, emphasizing, “At first when I was called to carry him, I was afraid, but the doctor comforted me before the work could go on. Now, where we are, we are successful. My child is sitting down with me, and he is eating. I am grateful to God.”
She further expressed thanks to Firestone and CSI because, according to her, such operation is costly in other places. She praised CSI and Firestone for doing the surgeries free of charge and hope that they come back to Liberia next year to help other kids as well.
The CSI team comprised of 25 medical staff, including specialized doctors, surgeons, pediatricians, and nurses. Last year, during its 12th mission to Liberia, the team provided free medical care to 80 Liberian children and dewormed more than 4,000 people, mainly children.
