MONROVIA – Liberia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah has disclosed that the Government of Liberia is expected to on today Wednesday, 30 June, reopened 14th Military Hospital for the purpose of once again using it as a treatment center for Covid-19 patients.
The 14th Military Hospital was previously used as COVID-19 patients’ treatment center during the initial outbreak in the country of the Coronavirus in March 2020, but when the virus’ onslaught against the country subsided, the treatment center was relocated at Star Base, Bushrod Island outside Monrovia.
Health Minister Dr. Jallah told state radio Monday that the COVID-19 treatment center at Star Based is getting overwhelmed, although there are additional buildings still at the facility that can accommodate additional patients with oxygen.
Dr. Jallah stated that due to the increase in COVID-19 cases, the Health Ministry now sees the compelling need to reopen the 14thMilitary Hospital, so as to create additional facility to treat the increasing loads of Coronavirus cases in the country.
According to her Dr. Jallah, a team was getting the facility at the 14th Military Hospital tidied up and putting in the needy equipment to effectively care for patients that will be admitted.
Meanwhile, Minister Jallah has refuted rumor that government is would shortly impose lockdown because of the escalating infection rate of new variant of the COVID-19 pandemic currently plaguing the country.
Over the weekend, Grand Bassa County lawmaker and chairperson of the Collaborating Polity Parties, Senator Nyonblee Kangar-Lawrence informed Liberians that government would shortly imposed a lockdown.
She wrote on her official Facebook page on her official social rallying Liberians to purchase food and other items for their personal use, because according to her, government would shortly lockdown the country as a safeguard measure against the spread of the raging COVID-19 virus.
But Health Minister Jallah said government has not reached any decision to lockdown the country.
She said what government through the Ministry of Health is contemplating doing is to step up the enforcement mechanism of the preventive measures already in place, aimed at ensuring citizens adhere to the health protocols to prevent further spread of the virus.
Minister Jallah noted that one of the major challenges the Health Ministry is faced with is the refusal of some citizens and members of the public to properly use nose masks and observe social distancing.
She wants members of the public to uphold the health protocols put into place by the Ministry of Health, making specific reference to crowdedness, with a plea to religious houses entertainment centers.
