By Moses J. Dawoe
– Southeast Correspondent
Patients at the Gblebo Health Center in Grand Kru County are abandoning the government-run facility due to severe drug shortage, turning instead to private drugstores for treatment, the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the clinic, Rachel D. Togbe, has confirmed.
Speaking in an interview at her office on February 17, 2025, Madam Togbe disclosed that the clinic is only able to provide prescriptions as essential life-saving drugs remain unavailable. She lamented that the situation has left many patients with no choice but to seek medical assistance elsewhere, often at a high cost.
“Family members are taking their sick relatives to private drugstores because the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Health, has not been able to supply the needed medication,” she explained.
According to Madam Togbe, the health facility serves patients from remote villages who often endure long and costly journeys in search of medical care, only to be given prescriptions they cannot afford to pay for.
Despite assurances from the Ministry of Health that a three-month supply of essential drugs would be delivered, she noted that the clinic is yet to receive them.
Meanwhile, the OIC revealed that the World Bank has provided a little over $3,000 to support the facility, helping to address some basic operational needs. She said the funds have been used for critical renovations, including installing solar energy for electricity and a water storage system. These improvements, she stressed, are vital for nighttime deliveries and emergency cases.
However, Madam Togbe expressed concern over the rising number of malaria cases at the facility. “Out of the 3,919 patient records, most cases have been malaria and other infectious diseases,” she stated.
She also raised alarm over the plight of four volunteer health workers who have been serving the clinic for four years without being placed on the government payroll. She called on the government to take immediate action, stressing that their services are critical to the health center’s operations. In addition, she outlined that as drug shortages persist, the fate of patients relying on the Gblebo Health Center remains uncertain, with many left to seek expensive private alternatives.
