By Bill W. Cooper
The Minister of Health-designate has promised to prioritize the establishment of a dedicated trauma unit in the country’s healthcare system as a means of ensuring a vibrant health sector that will address the various health needs of the people.
Louise M. Kpoto said once the trauma unit is constructed, it will reduce the burden on John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in catering to burnt and accident patients across Liberia, and pledged to ensure proper training of staff, availability of necessary equipment, and a streamlined referral system to enhance trauma care.
The major trauma center is supported by a number of trauma units, while trauma units are also important in providing immediate life-saving services to patients due to their injuries.
Appearing for confirmation before the Senate Committee on Health, Kpoto noted that the country’s largest health center is overwhelmed with many minor cases which require government attention.
She said building a trauma unit aside from JFK to adequately address and focus on individual victims of natural disasters like the case of the Totota situation can never be overemphasized.
Disclosing her plans to revive the country’s health sector, the MoH Minister-designate maintained, “And one thing, the construction of a new structure might take a longtime, but we can look at a particular building to convert it to a trauma unit.”
“Because I am not only looking at the burned, motorcyclists, kehkeh and others, but also we will need to train healthcare workers and equip the facility up to standard,” she emphasized.
The Minister-designate stressed the need for more trained health workers in infectious control to effectively and professionally operate the trauma unit as envisioned.
She said, “As we speak, there is more concentration at the JFK Emergency Room, and during my visit there, most of the doctors were running here and there, focusing on burned patients and leaving other patients alone.”
“But had we built or converted a building to a trauma unit, which will have a burn unit, it would have solved this problem within the health sector first hand.”
Outlining her vision for the Ministry, the MoH Minister-designate said infrastructure, education, and motivation, coupled with monitoring and evaluation, will be the epics of her administration.
She however placed key emphasis on medical practitioners mainly assigned in rural Liberia, and assured them of her plans to provide a conducive working environment for all healthcare workers.
Kpoto called on the Senators to ensure the needed budgetary support to enable her and her team revamp the country’s health sector, if confirmed.
She said, “Give me the necessary support and you will get the health sector that you all, our President, and all Liberians, want to see.”