—written by a staff member in Liberia
A group of selfless Liberians are sacrificing their time to operate many small clinics throughout the interior villages of Liberia. These men and women work every day and often during the night to clean and bandage wounds, prescribe medicine, deliver babies, and care for new mothers. Even with little or no supplies, they still comfort and care for the sick people who come to them. These national staff members work cheerfully with what they have and often forfeit part of their salary to improve their facility.
Most people in remote areas do not have their own vehicles. It is expensive and difficult for sick people and expectant mothers to travel to bigger towns with health centers or hospitals. The roads are often rough and sometimes impassable. This also makes it hard to deliver a consistent medicine supply to every village clinic. Often a clinic will have no supplies or medicine for a few months.
Important items such as painkillers, antibiotics, vitamins, burn salve, immune boosters, electrolytes, IV packs, bandages, dressings, thermometers, gloves, soaps, and cleaners are donated by organizations or purchased in Liberia with donated funds.
Layette bundles are also included in the clinic supply. These bundles encourage expectant mothers to come to the clinic, enabling them and their babies to experience a clean, safe environment and receive proper care.
With skillful drivers, hardy Toyota trucks, and long-suffering mechanics, we [CAM staff] can take these medicines and medical supplies to remote clinics every month. Sometimes bridges to the clinic are broken or too narrow to cross with a supply truck. However, there are always willing people ready to help carry the boxes the rest of the way. When there is no bridge, a canoe will ferry the supplies across the river.
The clinic staff members are always excited to see the white Toyota come rolling in. They happily greet the driver and the medical program director. The director collects reports and offers encouragement to the staff while the driver unloads the month’s supply. Once the supplies are unloaded, they prepare to leave. With cheerful waves of goodbye, they head deeper into the bush to the next remote clinic.
If you wish to help provide Medicines for Multitudes, click the Donate button.
