MAF bridges the healthcare gap in Liberia

Pregnant women wait to be seen at JJ Dossen Hospital in Harper (credit: LuAnne Cadd)

As campaigners behind this year’s ‘Universal Health Coverage Day’ renew their efforts to hold world leaders to account for making global health coverage a reality by 2030, MAF continues to bridge the healthcare gap in Liberia. MAF’s Paula Alderblad lifts the lid on ‘Partners in Health’ who would not be able to operate in remotest Liberia without MAF

JJ Dossen Memorial Hospital is based in the coastal town of Harper, Maryland County – the most southerly tip of Liberia near Ivory Coast’s border.

JJ Dossen Hospital is the only hospital in Maryland County, Liberia (credit: LuAnne Cadd)

JJ Dossen is now a referral hospital for other counties in the South (credit: LuAnne Cadd)

According to Partners in Health (PIH), JJ Dossen is the only proper hospital in Maryland County, which has a population of around 166,000 people. Increasingly, JJ Dossen has also become a referral hospital for other counties in southeastern Liberia.

Maryland County = ‘some of the worst health indicators in the world’ (credit:M&K Hewes)

4/5 Harper residents are in ‘absolute poverty’ (Liberia Inst of Stats & Geo Info Services) (credit: Paula Alderblad)

Maryland County has ‘some of the worst health indicators in the world’ but PIH believes that healthcare is a fundamental human right regardless of geography.

In response, since 2014, PIH – in association with Liberia’s Ministry of Health – has been improving access to healthcare across the region.

They established a TB isolation ward at JJ Dossen Hospital, which is the only ward of its kind in the country.

JJ Dossen’s TB ward is the only one of its kind in Liberia (credit: Mark & Kelly Hewes)

Thanks to PIH’s expertise, the hospital now boasts an X-ray machine, which works for the first time in decades.

The oxygen plant at JJ Dossen supplies other health facilities (credit: Paula Alderblad)

An oxygen plant now supplies oxygen to other health facilities and a microbiology lab also services the whole region.

JJ Dossen’s microbiology lab services the whole region (credit: Katie Machell)

JJ Dossen’s operating theatre now boasts advanced sterilisation where surgeons can perform caesarean sections.

Every piece of kit in this operating theatre is flown in by MAF (credit: Paula Alderblad)

None of PIH’s work would be possible without MAF.

MAF bridges the gap between Partners in Health and patients (credit: Andrew Mumford)

MAF and PIH – a powerful partnership

During Liberia’s six-month rainy season from May to November, when pothole-ridden dirt tracks turn into dangerous mudslides, those brave enough to travel to Harper by road from the capital, Monrovia, would find that it would take them over a week to get there.

With MAF, the flight takes just over an hour.

Travelling by road from Monrovia to Harper can take over a week (credit: Rachel Gwole)

When roads are blocked, MAF’s the only way to move everyone & everything (credit: PIH)

Together, PIH enabled by MAF, are transforming healthcare and changing Liberian lives for the better. Dr Sterman Toussaint – a surgeon and the director of clinical services at PIH -explains:

‘MAF plays a key role in PIH’s work in rural areas, extending our reach and capabilities. Through our partnership with MAF, PIH can go above and beyond expectations.

‘MAF flights not only bridge the distance when transferring referral patients to Monrovia, MAF also transports specimens to Monrovia three times a week for testing and facilitates swift access to patient’s test results.

‘How can we bring the benefit of modern science to our patients without the partnership?’

Dr Sterman Toussaint – surgeon and director of clinical services at PIH

Dr Toussaint says that MAF is an integral part of PIH’s work (credit: Paula Alderblad)

Delivering training equipment for future doctors

MAF flies around 750kg of cargo in Liberia for PIH every month.

Up to 200 pieces of medical kit and supplies are regularly transported to JJ Dossen Hospital including electrical appliances and surgical tools.

During the pandemic, MAF transported the vaccine to Harper for PIH (credit: Dave Forney)

JJ Dossen is also the region’s training hub for medical students across a range of disciplines including family medicine, paediatrics, gynaecology, and general surgery.

Liberia’s next generation of health professionals simply wouldn’t be able to qualify without the medical equipment flown in by MAF.

Doctors won’t be able to qualify without equipment flown by MAF (credit: Paula Alderblad)

Students practice CPR using special equipment flown in by MAF (credit: Paula Alderblad)

For Dr Toussaint, MAF is the only way to transport such precious cargo to avoid damage:

‘Some of this necessary equipment for operations is so fragile that it cannot be transported on the challenging roads of Liberia.’

Due to extreme humidity, salty air, dust and rain for much of the year, vital equipment would rust or stop functioning altogether if it were exposed to the elements for too long.

Without MAF, the hospital would be without essential supplies (credit: Dave Forney)

MAF ensures HIV, TB, malaria & leprosy drugs are restocked (credit: LuAnne Cadd)

‘The support provided by MAF is enormous’

In Maryland County, lifesaving drugs and pain relief are in short supply, so it’s critical that they are delivered quickly from Monrovia to patients in Harper.

PIH’s Martin Blayon says MAF’s support is ‘enormous’ (credit: Rachel Gwole)

PIH Warehouse Officer Martin Blayon says MAF’s support cannot be underestimated:

‘The support provided by MAF is enormous. MAF flights significantly aid PIH by transporting health workers, doctors, patients, medical equipment, and drugs swiftly from Monrovia to Harper. This hour-long journey enhances PIH’s effectiveness in serving rural areas.’

MAF & PIH are transforming healthcare for future generations (credit: Paula Alderblad)

Read about how MAF bridges the healthcare gap in Foya, north-west Liberia.