By Phi Jacob Kermue
Gbarnga, Bong County — A newly renovated obstetrics and gynaecology (OB/GYN) ward has been dedicated at Phebe Referral Hospital in Bong County by the Liberian Nurses Association of Dallas-Fort Worth (LNA-DFW), boosting maternal healthcare in central Liberia.
The upgraded facility is expected to improve conditions for expectant mothers and healthcare workers in a region where access to quality maternal services remains a challenge.According to LNA-DFW Board Chairman Thomas Woahloe, the project aims to ease difficulties faced by pregnant women during childbirth.
“This renovation is about restoring dignity and safety to childbirth for women in this region,” Woahloe said. “We recognized the urgent need to improve conditions at Phebe Hospital, and we are proud to contribute to a solution that will save lives.”
The renovation included merging labour and delivery rooms into a single, more efficient ward, alongside major upgrades such as tiling, ceiling repairs, woodwork replacement, sewage reconnection, and repainting.
“By combining the labour and delivery units, we have created a more coordinated and efficient system of care for both patients and healthcare workers,” Woahloe added.
The group also donated essential medical supplies, including oxygen equipment and protective gear, and plans to introduce training programmes to improve healthcare quality and infection control.
“This is not just about infrastructure,” he said. “We are equally committed to strengthening the capacity of healthcare workers through training and support.”
Local health authorities, including Bong County Health Team officials and Phebe Hospital leadership, have praised the initiative as timely and impactful.
“This intervention comes at a critical time for our county,” a Bong County Health Team official said. “It will significantly reduce the burden on our facility and improve outcomes for mothers and newborns.”
They say the improved facility will reduce overcrowding and enhance maternal and newborn care.
Phebe Hospital administrators have pledged to maintain the ward and equipment, while also calling on other diaspora organisations and partners to support Liberia’s struggling rural health sector. “We assure our partners that this facility will be properly maintained,” a hospital administrator stated. “We also encourage other well-meaning Liberians in the diaspora to join efforts aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery across the country.”
