By Bill W. Cooper
A team of several volunteer medical practitioners under the banner Liberia Medical Mission (LMM) has arrived to provide free medical services across the country.
The LMM is a Non-political, non-religion and non-governmental organization comprising both trained medical doctors and nurses from various countries including the United States of America, the United Nation among others.
The group, in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH), the World Health Organization (WHO), the UNICEF among others will also collaborate with the country’s local health practitioners to ensure that the services reach to citizens in other parts of Liberia.
Medical services expected to be offered by the team include free eye-surgery, free mental health healing/counselling and free hydrocele repair surgery, as the process is expected to also last for the period of two weeks.
Addressing a major news conference at the close of the weekend in Congo Town, LMM’s Director Joseph Sackor stated that their decision to provide free medical services is intended to buttress government’s effort in the rebranding of the country health sector.
According to him, the services which will also witness the distributions of free medical supplies, equipment and medication to eye marked health facilities is also their own way of giving back to their country.
Mr. Sackor who put the entire process at US$4.2 million stated, “And it will interest to note that this money came from individual members’ pockets and we are glad that Liberians will once again benefit from our services.”
The LMM Director who is also the head of the team’s delegation named Bong, Nimba, Bomi, Margibi and Montserrado as counties that are expected to immensely benefit from the gestures.
According to him, this latest visit marks their 10 years of services to the Liberian government and citizenry, noting, “Liberia is a country that is facing serious medical challenges especially since after the war; so, the need to ensure that our compatriots are safe and well can never be overemphasized.”
“So, this service is for you the Liberian people and we are your guests. So I ask of you all for the needed support and collaboration as we all work together in addressing and helping those that are in need, and I advise that you all take advantage of this process,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sackor has at the same time also disclosed that for the first week, all eye surgeries will be done at the 14-Military Hospital on the RIA Road in Margibi County.
He further revealed that upon the completion of the surgeries, over 200 Liberians are expected to gain back their sights, mentally stabilized and hydrocele-free.
Commenting on the area of surgery for hydrocele patients, the LMM Director noted that they are still in discussion with some Health facility managements to be able to do the operations.
