January to April 2018 Newsletter

January to April, 2018

Dear Partners in Ministry,

Greetings of love, hope and courage to you from the Ganta United Methodist Hospital family in Liberia, West Africa.  We remain encouraged by your support of our moral mandate to provide affordable, but quality, diversified medical care to subsistence farming families.

My name is Allen Zomonway and I am serving as Hospital Administrator, replacing Patrick Mantor who retired in February 2018.  My professional nursing/administrative experience spans over 20 years; with most of that service at Ganta Hospital.  I am honored to lead a team of committed staff who are willing to work towards realizing our collective vision:  To have a have a spirit-filled, clean and safe healthcare setting where services are provided by trained and compassionate professionals.  We realize our fees should always be affordable to the public we serve.  But, at the same time, we know we must seek creative and sustainable ways to mitigate our budget shortfall.  We are thankful for reliable partners that walk alongside us in our health service provision journey.

Community-based health care is vital to establishing vibrant, healthy communities.  By partnering with Community Health Volunteers located among our catchment communities, our hospital Community-Based Health Care Unit covers 200+ communities in providing general health education with special focus on maternal child health.   Improving maternal-child health is a major emphasis among our national health care goals. Due to Liberia’s low literacy rate, many health care myths exists among communities and our ongoing outreach efforts help to dispel these myths.

Kou Noweh’s Story

My name is Kou Noweh and I am from the town of Whiepa. I am sixteen years old and was a sixth-grade student at the Whiepa Community School in the 6th grade when my mother tied a thin rope around my waist.  She told me if I wear the rope, I will not get pregnant. So, I kept it on at all times. In Liberia, if a girl becomes pregnant, she is not allowed to continue in “day” school.  She must go to a night or afternoon school.  Wheipa does not have an afternoon or night school, so, my mother wanted to be sure I would be able to complete my education.  Unfortunately, one day I discovered that I was pregnant and as my stomach grew, I was told that I could no longer sit in class.  My mother and I were surprised because the rope was still on my waist! When the pregnancy was five months I became very sick and was taken to Ganta Hospital where I visited the prenatal clinic. I began to visit the prenatal clinic regularly and as my baby grew, I was told my baby was not lying in a normal position.  The midwife gave me some daily exercises to do so the baby will get in a correct position.  She also told me to be sure to stay close to the hospital during my last month so that I could quickly go for safe delivery.  I was scared to tell my midwife that I did not have money to pay for the prenatal care and delivery but she encouraged me that I should not stay away because of me not being able to pay.  Now I have a healthy baby boy and I am thankful to the Ganta Hospital family for everything they did for me.   I learned many things: putting a rope on the waist is not a reliable method of family planning; bringing a child into the world comes with many responsibilities; and most of all, make sure you stay focused on staying in school to improve your future success.  Now, when I see the Ganta Hospital Primary Healthcare Team in our town, I am one of the first to attend their discussions and to also encourage my friends (both boys and girls) to attend the health talks.

Wheelchairs for People with Mobility Challenges

General Board of Global Ministries Global Health Unit and Free Wheelchair Mission supported the receipt and distribution of 520 wheelchairs among our catchment communities.  A few of them remained at the hospital for conveyance of patients.   These wheelchairs, donated by Free Wheelchair Mission, are designed for durability in rugged terrain and to fit the physical structure and the particular physical condition of the identified recipient.

 

Yei Bubu is a resident of Mongbain. She has two boys.  She was born about 45 years ago in this community and developed flaccid paralysis at age 6. In Liberia, persons with disabilities are looked upon with pity and oftentimes not seen as responsible members of their communities.  Women with disabilities are often taken advantage of due to their culturally couched desire to marry and raise a family.  Yei explained that she has been “fooled” by two men who promised to marry her only to leave her pregnant and raising her two boys as a single mother.  Yei has always walked with a set of crutches.  She explained the number of crutches she has worn out over the decades and at times, she was unable to acquire crutches and had to make do with crutches crudely made out of sticks.  The crutches did not give Yei the balance she needed to move with the kind of alignment that would not compromise her future gait and overall health.  Yei told us “I find it difficult to do normal duties because of the slow pace at which I can struggle to walk with these crutches”.   With the wheelchair, Yei can now move much faster to seek food for herself and her children.  She is still dependent upon handouts for now, but, she looks forward to a future where, with her improved mobility, she will be able to manage a petty market and live off the profit.  She looks forward to a future where she can be hired to work and earn a living wage.  For now, she is just thankful for the wonderful gift of improved mobility!!

 

Global Health Grants Comes to the “Rescue”

We began this newsletter by celebrating our moral mandate to provide quality, but affordable, healthcare.  Our combined partner support makes this possible.  We desire to provide a safe physical space that lends itself to proper sanitation and hygiene protocols.  We desire to offer a clean, inviting “atmosphere” that promotes physical and spiritual healing for our clients.  In spite of our attention to patient care, our major gap was the very building that we were operating out of- a 60+-year-old structure that did not meet present-day building codes and space for our growing population!   A huge part of providing quality healthcare is ensuring the physical space is safe and lends itself to proper ventilation, lighting, sanitation and hygiene protocols.  Our budget could not address the massive building renovation and expansion needs. We were literally rescued by a Global Health Health Strengthening Support grant that enabled the following first phase of our building renovation need: renovation of prenatal clinic; expansion of kitchen and laundry units; renovation of operating room and central supply room; renovation of obstetric ward; expansion and renovation of drug room, and construction of a new power/generator house.   We are thankful to the General Board of Global Ministries’ Global Health Unit for continued grants support as well as administrative capacity building and moral support through frequent webinars and conference calls.

A Global Health Imagine No Malaria grant provided support for drugs, laboratory expansion, laboratory training, and laboratory equipment and supplies.   For the first time in the history of our hospital, we have separate diagnostic units to include:  chemistry, blood bank/cold chain, hematology, parasitology, and office space.  On the left, Mrs. Beatrice Gokpa, one of our long serving Laboratory Aides, happily working in one of the newly renovated laboratory. She says “the new work environment has increased my passion for my work.”

Our Achievements During the Quarter Under Review

  • Maintained our salary payment as current. This is no small feat as we must pay staff according to our affordable service fee intake.
  • Received Fredrick Boandolo from a six-month training in Xray diagnostics at Bangalore Hospital in India, supported by Peoria (Illinois) First UMC and First UMC, Mansfield, TX, and Dr. Cherian Thomas, retired Global Ministries Executive. Fredrick’s presence will enhance our ongoing diagnostic services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Strengthened our collaboration with the national Ministry of Health through the County Health Team.
  • In collaboration with Bangalore Hospital, India, and with support from East Ohio Conference, endorsed a Pediatrics Observer Training for one of our doctors to observe pediatrics service delivery. Other than our Global Ministries assigned Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Willicor, we do not have specialized doctors on staff.  Continuing education opportunities in Liberia are limited.  Our doctors’ skills continue to be improved and mentored through the tutelage of Dr. Willicor and other training opportunities.
  • Received our German partners’ team from Difaem, who is supporting our maternal child health, infection prevention and control and anti-microbial resistant efforts.
  • Sightsavers supported renovation, drugs and supplies and staff training for our eye program.
  • Brothers and Brothers Foundation support for medical supplies.
  • World Diabetes Foundation support for Diabetes program.
  • Participated in a well-attended and engaging Round Table Discussion with partners from North America, Africa, and Europe.
  • Global Health supported building renovation, Imagine No Malaria and Health Strengthening Support grants activities are progressing very well.
  • Maintained our service areas: Dental Clinic, Prenatal Clinic, HIV Aids Clinic, Diabetes Clinic, Eye Clinic, Mental Health Services, General Outpatient Clinic, Orthopedics Clinic, X-Ray Services, Laboratory, Ultrasonography, Comprehensive Primary Health Care Services (family planning, community outreach, water and sanitation, community based maternal child health, etc.), surgical services, emergency room and inpatient services.

 

INVITATION TO SUPPORT OUR SPECIAL APPEALS

  1. PRAY for our country, Liberia, and the leadership. Pray for our staff collective synergy and commitment to do all we can to provide quality healthcare in the face of challenged resources.

 

  1. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR INDIGENT PATIENT FUND:  In spite of our low and affordable fees for service, about 20% of our patients cannot fully pay; resulting in an annual loss of about $50,000.00 USD.  As a faith-based facility, and taking into consideration our moral and ethical mandate, we have no alternative but to offer them gratis or reduced payments.  This affects our ongoing Revolving Drug Fund (RDF) which is one of our means of sustaining the hospital by having essential drugs available at an affordable cost at all times.  We invite you to support our Indigent Patient Fund through contributions to our Ganta Hospital Advance Special #15080N.

 

  1. FUEL FUND:  Though we are on the West Africa Power Pool electrical supply, there are times when that source of electricity is down.  We must then use our generators.  Fuel costs average $ 3.80 USD per gallon and it takes five gallons to operate our generators per hour.  Moreover, we offer ambulance services free of charge for emergency cases.  We must use our resources to fuel the ambulance.   We invite you to consider supporting our FUEL FUND through the Advance Special #15080N.

In closing, on behalf of the entire Ganta United Methodist Hospital Family, our supportive Bishop and conference leadership, our hospital board, our Board of Health, and our missionaries (Dr. Albert Willicor and Sister Mary Zigbuo Mantor),  I extend my warmest thanks and appreciation to all of you for your prayers and other supports.  We are praying for you!

 

 

 

GANTA UNITED METHODIST HOSPITAL STATISTICAL REPORT, JAN TO APRIL, 2018

Data Description Jan Feb Mar April G-Total 
OUT PATIENT GENERAL AND SPECIALIZED CLINICS
General Clinic 1213 1302 1377 1492     5384
Eye Clinic 209 189 191 194 783
Dental Clinic 80 106 131 94 411
Diabetes Clinic 204 148 201 156 709
Orthopedic Clinic 85 88 83 80 336
Antenatal Clinic 419 378 426 411 1634
Mental Health Consultations 169 217 192 156 734
TOTAL OUTPATIENT GENERAL AND SPECIALIZED CLINICS 2379 2428 2601 2583 9991
IN PATIENT BED ADMISSIONS 477 451 476 533 1937
In-patient (Adults) 147 136 129 130 542
In-patient (Peds) 118 110 118 146 492
In-patient (OB) 172 187 216 246 821
In patient  (Eye Clinic) 40 18 13 11 82
Elective and Emergency Surgeries 91 79 101 105 376
Total Deliveries NORMAL 64 88 114 106 372
Total Deliveries C SECTION 23 25 37 47 132
Total Births (babies) 93 118 164 161 536
Miscarriage 3 7 7 10 27
Elective and Emergency Surgeries 91 79 101 105 376
Total Deaths 24 15 19 21 79
Maternal Deaths 1 1 1 0 3
Neonatal Death 0 0 0 0 0
Malaria Death 0 0 2 1 3
Other Causes of Death 23 14 16 20 73
DIAGNOSTICS
X-Ray Examinations 84 88 87 16 275
Total persons that accessed the lab. (Generally) 1689 1309 1770 1932 6700
HIV / AIDS Test Done 155 146 137 183 621
HIV / AIDS Positive 13 3 8 10 34
Malaria Suspected Cases (Consultations) 1292 1082 1127 1382 4883
Malaria cases Tested (Micros./RDT) 1292 1082 1127 1382 4883
Malaria Cases Confirmed ( Micros./RDT) 391 393 398 372 1554
Malaria Treated Cases 391 393 398 372     1554
IMMUNIZATION 195 631 445 452 1723
 Children Vaccinated 5 377 295 285 962
 Children who completed vaccination 159 65 14 39 277
 Non Pregnant Women Vaccinated 4 21 18 26 69
 Pregnant Women Vaccinated 27 168 118 102 415
OTHER SERVICES
Emergency Room Reports 328 283 259 302 1172
Referrals from other facilities to GUMH 56 51 46 86 239
Referrals from GUMH to other facilities 1 1 0 0 2
Total Family Planning Services 113 112 128 111 464
Number of communities reached for community based health education and follow up efforts 144 132 121 81 478
Charity Services 3 8 5 4 20
Foreign Services 33 39 122 53 247
Guineans serviced at GUMH 32 39 120 52 243
 Ivoirians serviced at GUMH 1 0 2 1 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sincerely,

ALLEN

ALLEN S.D. ZOMONWAY, ADMINISTRATOR

ADMINISTRATOR

GANTA UNITED METHODIST HOSPITAL

Advance Number 15080N

Email:  allenphc2@gmail.com; allenphc@yahoo.com ; Phone:  +231 88643200

Update: 2018 Updates!

Newsletter: 2017 Annual Report

January 16, 2018

Dear Partners in Ministry,

We bring you greetings of fellowship from the Ganta United Methodist Hospital family in Liberia, West Africa. The year 2017 began with joy, but ended with heavy hearts and sad feelings. The volume of support received from our faithful partners generated excitement in our ministry. All this excitement continued until the fateful night of September 3, 2017 when our Indian Dentist, the late Dr. Shane Sam Mathew, lost his life in a tragic fire incident at his hospital residence. This unforgettable memory continues to haunt all those who came to know this lovable, respectful, good Christian at the Hospital and in Liberia at large. Notwithstanding, Dr. Mathew’s painful departure from us did not stop Jesus’ ministry that he was a part of.

 

TRANSITIONS

After heading the leadership team at Ganta Hospital as the administrator from May 2015 to January 15, 2018, I am announcing my retirement effective February 24, 2018. My heart is filled with gratitude for the high level of support I received from partners both locally and externally during my tenure of service at Ganta Hospital. As I exit, we have an equally capable successor, Mr. Allen Zomonway, who is not new to this Hospital. He was trained at the Winifred J. Harley Nursing School (affiliated with the hospital), obtained higher education at Africa University in Zimbabwe and served the hospital again as the Manager of our Community-based Primary Healthcare Program / Nehnwaa for many years.  Allen was appointed to the position of Health Coordinator at the Liberia Annual Conference / The United Methodist Church for nearly three years.  From now on, please direct all official communications to Allen Zomonway, allenphc2@gmail.com / allenphc@yahoo.com.

Pray with me as I enter this new stage in my life journey.  I aspire to continue to serve my church and humanity in a supportive role as I am called upon.

I will be accompanying my wife, Mary (Zigbuo) Mantor, as she itinerates this summer/early fall.  I am happy to visit with those who desire that I come to share about Ganta Hospital.

 

PROGRESS/ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2017

 With a sense of thankfulness, we submit to you the accounts of our stewardship in 2017 as follows:

  • Staff salary maintained current;
  • The Drug Revolving Fund Scheme remains functional;
  • The debt burdens inherited from previous administration continue to be paid down;
  • Maintained all internal and external partnerships and established new partnerships with Insulin For Life USA and Sight Savers International;
  • The Dr. Albert G. Willicor Caretaker Center was dedicated on September 23, 2017.

Construction of the Caretaker Center was a project of The Ganta Hospital Workers Association who contributed portion of their salaries along with support from East Ohio Conference’s Nehemiah Mission and Friends of Liberia Organization. The Caretaker Center provides housing for caretakers of hospitalized patients who come from remote areas to seek the hospital’s services.

  • Global Health grants provided $500,000.00 USD for the hospital’s renovation/expansion efforts to include: construction of a generator/powerhouse building, renovation and expansion of the drug warehouse, renovation of kitchen, laundry, prenatal clinic, surgical wing and maternity ward. The renovation works have begun and progressing well;
  • Global Health’s Imagine No Malaria grant provided $50,000.00+ for renovation/expansion of laboratory and procurement of laboratory equipment;
  • Sightsavers International provided a five-year impact grant totaling $301,166 for the revitalization of our comprehensive eye care services. The grant covers training of essential staff, building renovation and equipping and supplying the center;
  • The hospital received its 2017 accreditation but scored 78% due to the present conditions of our Kitchen, Laboratory, Obstetric Ward, etc. Thank God the Global Health grants will address these gaps;
  • We engaged and warmly received representation from our external partnerships per below:
  1. East Ohio Conference sent a medical/church activity 13- member volunteer team who helped to train key staff and provide staffing support for our clinic activities;
  2. Nelda Thomas, from Mississippi Conference, came to upgrade the skills of our orthopedic staff;
  3. Ronda Cordill, Pacific Northwest Conference, came to assist us with training of multiple layers of hospital and community-based health care workers in our ongoing efforts to strengthen our Diabetes Clinic and our community-based World Diabetes Project;
  4. Difaem, our German partner organization headed by its Director and Health Program Coordinator, sent a medical doctor and midwife to train key staff on the usage of ultrasound (and they also donated an ultrasound machine);
  5. Rene Dupree of North Carolina Conference came to assist us with technical engineering advice and activities for a period of three months.
  6. Florence Amadi of Curamericas Global came to assist us with community health training;
  7. Cherian Thomas, a long-time friend and former staff of Global Ministries’ UMCOR Health, came on an observation visit and was instrumental in connecting us with a healthcare facility in India to provide training for our x-ray technician;
  8. Bruce Mollan’s onsite observation and assessment visit connected us with organizations that donated medical supplies for our ongoing ministry.

 

OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT US (Advance Special Number 15080N)

  1. Your prayers for our newly elected government.
  2. We ask you to consider supporting our indigent patient care fund.
  3. While many of our patients can afford to pay their total bill, some can only afford to pay only a portion (or none at all) of their bill and the hospital is left with no alternative but to waive the cost.
  4. Please consider donations in kind or cash to enable us to receive or locally purchase examination gloves, sutures, adhesives tape, and gauze. Contributions towards these supplies help keep our charges affordable for the beneficiaries.
  5. Support our missionaries: Mary (Randall Zigbuo) Mantor (#10721Z) and Albert Willicor (#15151Z).  Albert serves as our Chief Medical Officer and Mary serves as our Health Systems Strengthening Advisor.
  6. Consider coming as a volunteer!

 

CHALLENGES / CONSTRAINTS

  1. Our staff salary is not competitive enough to retain qualified personnel on staff for long.
  2. Often, bills made for services for patient care are not always fully paid – thereby usually leading to our budget shortfall.
  3. Ganta Hospital, as a referral health facility, is still lacking an Isolation Unit. This situation usually compromises our efforts to reduce cross-infection and to protect our patients and health workers in the events of reportable diseases.

Recommendations:

  1. That the administration, through the UMC Board of Health, seeks support from Ministry of Health of Liberia to see reason to construct an Isolation Unit for this major medical referral center.

 

  1. That the administration, through its Board of Health, seeks support from the Government of Liberia to increase the subsidy allotted to Ganta Hospital based on the hospital’s strategic location and its major role in the healthcare delivery efforts of Liberia. This will help to defray the revenue lost via waiving the bills for indigent care. This increase might also enable the management to consider raising the salary level of the staff.

Conclusion:

We are thankful for your prayers and support. We are strengthened by our wonderful Christ-driven networks of partnership with you. Those materials and cash donations help us fill our budget and resource shortfall gaps. As a result of your support, we are encouraged to continue to provide affordable, but quality healthcare. We are thankful to Bishop Samuel Quire for his supportive visits, ongoing advice, and other supports.

MAY GOD ALMIGHTY CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU.

2017 FINANCIAL REPORT

 

GANTA UNITED METHODIST HOSPITAL
STATISTICAL REPORT
JANUARY – DECEMBER  2017
Data Description Jan Feb Mar Apri May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec G-Total 
Outpatient Clinic/General Clinic 2485 2719 2457 2276 2450 2081 2284 2249 2634 2122 2278 1995 28030
Eye Clinic 178 175 175 174 139 209 138 185 129 155 211 151 2019
Dental Clinic 84 43 61 54 64 49 59 30 25 51 71 31 622
Diabetes Clinic 165 169 1194 181 184 192 178 190 163 166 174 142 3098
Orthopedic Clinic 67 72 80 58 43 56 79 58 101 66 95 55 830
Antenatal Clinic 370 308 346 370 392 338 328 370 308 352 318 302 4102
In-patient Bed Admission 409 339 453 457 456 441 426 374 374 426 482 412 5049
In-patient (Adults) 142 128 145 133 111 145 129 128 101 119 99 123 1503
In Patient (Peds) 107 75 150 144 143 126 143 102 115 115 106 93 1419
In Patient (OB) 139 136 140 189 185 156 154 136 151 184 167 182 1919
Total Deliveries (345 C/sections = 28.7%) 92 80 82 117 117 92 86 88 109 118 103 119 1203
Total Birth (babies) 95 82 87 121 124 96 86 92 114 121 107 123 1248
Miscarriage 10 12 11 11 4 7 6 11 11 10 9 11 113
In patient Admission (Eyes) 21 0 18 21 17 14 0 8 7 8 10 14 138
Surgeries 107 75 91 83 89 96 77 76 96 76 86 90 1042
Total Death 14 15 9 12 15 21 20 15 16 22 8 13 180
Maternal Death 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4
Neonatal Death 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Malaria Death 1 1 0 2 0 3 0 2 1 3 0 1 14
Other Causes 12 14 9 9 14 17 20 13 15 19 8 11 161
X-Ray Examinations 70 98 70 74 93 62 80 98 76 83 63 51 918
Total persons that accessed the lab. (Generally) 1661 1403 1731 1619 1714 1671 1462 1686 1545 1514 1535 1579 19120
HIV / AIDS Test Done 135 114 101 140 143 141 122 141 199 142 141 212 1731
HIV / AIDS Positve 5 5 6 1 6 1 1 8 7 5 4 1 50
Malaria Suspected Cases (Consultations) 1322 1066 1134 1299 1275 1215 1304 1089 957 1072 1079 1002 13814
  *Malaria cases Tested (Micros./RDT) 1322 1066 1134 1299 1275 1215 1304 1089 957 1072 1079 1002 13814
*Malaria Cases Confirmed ( Micros./RDT) 525 431 569 684 623 536 529 502 474 496 550 475 6394
    *Malaria Treated Cases 525 431 569 684 623 536 529 502 474 496 550 475 6394
Immunization 474 533 516 460 474 412 444 493 557 497 453 389 5702
    *Children Vaccinated 274 316 298 343 272 221 263 281 343 273 269 251 3404
 *Children who completed Vaccination 16 61 29 80 29 40 44 35 40 23 23 14 434
    *Non Preg Women Vaccinated 25 36 45 37 26 27 21 26 54 54 45 27 423
    *Preg Women Vaccinated 159 120 144 72 147 124 116 151 120 147 116 97 1513
Emergency Room Reports 278 224 238 320 411 301 256 237 262 145 271 115 3058
Referrals from other facilities to GUMH 25 23 33 22 84 66 67 50 52 61 18 33 534
Referrals from GUMH to other facilities 0 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 9
Charity Services 2 8 6 2 4 7 3 5 2 8 6 4 57
Guineans serviced at GUMH 33 111 33 32 64 45 55 51 49 35 51 20 579
 Ivorians serviced at GUMH 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 6
Prepared By:
Gabriel T. Darleh
M & E Officer

 

 

 

 

Update: New Incinerator

blog page headers incinerator

Waste has been an ongoing challenge for us.  With our own resources, we were able to only construct crude, temporary ground based waste disposal pits.  These pits are not environmentally friendly nor are they consistent with national and international sanitation standards.  But, it was the best we could do.

In recent years, local organizations like Christian Health Association of Liberia (CHAL) and Mr. Siegfried Ziegler, the Rotary Clubs in Chemnitz Germany and Bethanien Chemintz stepped in to strengthen our efforts by providing funding to improve our waste disposal system.   We need these improved methods  to accommodate the volume of waste produced on a daily basis in our struggle to provide health care in a resource poor setting among a rapidly increasing population.   The provision of an electric incinerator from our German partners assures us that together, with the help and support of partners, resource challenged facilities like Ganta Hospital CAN meet international safety and sanitation standards!

blog page header incini

 

Post Ebola Recovery Efforts Continues…

ebola screenerThe Ebola crisis taught us many lessons.  One of the lessons was to effectively direct and monitor the major access points to our health care facilities.

After the Ebola crisis, the national healthcare system therefore identified a need to screen everyone entering the hospital.   The Ministry of Health sent out a nationwide mandate to create screening points at the major entrance total fencing of each healthcare facility.

Fencing directs everyone to access the hospital through its main entrance. Through this entrance, all who enter the hospital (patients, staff, visitors) are screened.  There is a medical worker who is trained to screen for specific symptoms.  If there are questions about the person’s health status during screening-perhaps the person has an extremely high fever or some other symptom that mirrors Ebola or other virulent diseases-the person is sent to an isolation area where they can be further tested.

screening Point

This structure was constructed by CHAL

In Partnership with Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe

Funded by The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Newsletter: 2015 Financial Report

January 8, 2016

Dear Ministry Partners,

Warmest greetings and best wishes from the administrative team and staff of the Ganta Hospital family. We are genuinely pleased to give account of our stewardship at the Ganta United Methodist Hospital and to present our plans for 2016.  The year under review began with series of administrative transitions coupled with the burdens of repositioning the hospital within the post Ebola restoration plans and the hospital’s own inherited challenges.  We thank God Almighty for giving us strength and wisdom to be able to report the progress made thus far. While remaining committed to the ongoing renovation, service improvement and restoration works, our focus for 2016 is to promote and improve customer service at the hospital under the theme- “Compassionate Caregiving”.  With this plan, we are partnering with the Faith and Deeds Ministry to provide a wonderful, compassionate, Christ-centered Customer Service Training for our staff.

 

Emmanuel’s Story

My name is Emmanuel Kpon Saye, a registered Nurse. I was hired in September 2015 and I am honored to serve as Supervisor of the Diabetes Clinic of Ganta United Methodist Hospital. During the Ebola Crisis, our diabetes services were very limited.  We had to shut down our education, counseling, and follow-up services.  This situation caused many of our patients to develop complications.  My first day on job, I received 5 diabetes emergencies with all of them (patients) in diabetes ketone acidosis (DKA). Before admitting these five, we already had three (3) patients admitted with this same condition.

There are lots of myths about diabetes in Liberia. One myth is that diabetes is contagious.  Another is shrouded in superstition with the belief that diabetes is a curse on the individual.   Education about diabetes is important because many aren’t aware that it is a manageable illness.  We have resumes our daily counseling sessions, screening, and vigorous diabetes health education both in the clinic and during weekly chapel teaching time. We also invite patients’ relatives and primary care givers for clinic health awareness.

Mr. Louis Wehyee is one of my patients.  Afraid of “catching diabetes”, his wife left their home when he was diagnosed with diabetes in January 2015.  At his request, I invited Mrs. Wehyee to listen in on our health talks and take part in our awareness sessions at the clinic.  Gradually she began to understand diabetes and she returned home to her husband and children.  I felt very fulfilled and humbled!  What came to my mind is that compassionate care brings holistic fulfillment to the healthcare giver and the patients being served.

Services Provided:

The following treatment areas/services are provided: Out Patient/Ambulatory Care Clinic, Dental Clinic, Diabetes Clinic, HIV/Aids Clinic, Mental Health Services, Community-Based Primary Health Care, Orthopedic Clinic, Surgical Services, X-ray and Ultrasonography services, Emergency/ Triage, Laboratory, Prenatal Clinic, Labor and Delivery and In-patient Wards.

Progress / Achievements, 2015:

  • Salary arears inherited from 2014 for 2 months were paid. Salary payment is current as of December, 2015;
  • Revamped the sanitary condition and general facelift of the hospital. IPC (Infection Prevention and Control) assessment teams from Ministry of Health and other organizations/agencies graded us in poor IPC compliance during the first half of 2015.  Revisits of the various IPC teams gave us very favorable marks;
  • The renovation work on the physical structures of the hospital is very improved. We have replaced the window screens, patched roof leakages, painted most of the walls, retiled most of the ward floors, renovated the bathrooms and created some bathrooms where they were non-existent, repaired and/or replaced ceiling tiles, and improved the deplorable plumbing conditions;
  • Improved fiscal and material management by hiring an experienced Chief Accountant in November 2015. The Chief Accountant is effectively implementing a Board approved fiscal management plan;
  • Drug Revolving Fund Scheme established and functioning well, thanks to Imagine No Malaria grant funding;
  • We are in compliance with our 2015 Operational Plan and have begun work on our 2016 Operational Plan;
  • Our staff redundancy plan is on course, we were able to lay off 12 of the 35 staff in August. Total follow through with this plan is dependent upon fund availability to pay the targeted staff their redundancy benefits;
  • We are in the ongoing process of identifying cost effective ways to cut costs in the face of limited budget. To this, we are utilizing our land resources by identifying trees that can be sawed into lumber to make furniture.
  • We are in the process of renovating and expanding our Record Room to enable electronic record keeping;
  • We created a website (gantahospital.com);
  • We have decreased our outstanding debt burden (accumulated prior to 2015) by $18,500.00 USD;
  • Imagine No Malaria funds helped us achieve our goal of establishing a Drug Revolving Fund and upgrade our laboratory diagnostic capabilities;
  • Christian Dental College supported our dental services by sending a dental surgeon;
  • We have strengthened our internal and external partnership support connections.

 

Partners contributions:

All these achievements outlined above could not have been possible without the support of our partners:

Local Partners:

  • Gompa District Churches provided local food items throughout the year to the hospital to feed our patients;
  • Nimba County Administration donated $20,000.00USD from the County Social Development Fund to help with our renovation efforts. This was used to expand our Record Room;
  • Ministry of Health (MOH) supported with post-Ebola restoration fund ($300,000.00 USD), 1 ambulance, and 1 standby generator. Through its County Health office, MOH provides support for training, vaccines, HIV Aids supplies; and malaria medicines/supplies;
  • The Government of Liberia (through pronouncement from the Law Makers) allotted $250,000.00 USD as subsidy to the hospital for the 2015 – 2016 fiscal year;
  • District #1 Representative, Hon. Jeremiah Kpain Khong, personally donated a used ambulance to the hospital
  • The Chief Justice of Liberia, Hon. Francis Korkpor, continues to provide 100 gallons of diesel fuel monthly. This is a blessing because our fuel consumption is so huge such that our operational fund cannot absorb all;
  • Christian Health Assoc. of Liberia (CHAL) contributed cash, training support, commitment to construct a fence, construction of a permanent triage and incinerator, renovation of post-partum unit, and drugs contributions ;
  • International Medical Corps (IMC) provided training for our midwives and essential medicines and equipment;
  • Africare provided financial support for our community based primary healthcare program;
  • Project Concern International (PCI) provided materials and labor to paint and sanitize our Eye Center and electrical wiring to extend our electrical access throughout our compound;
  • Plan Liberia provided mattresses for our hospital beds;
  • Faith and Deeds Ministry provided Customer Service assessment and support with the goal of conducting intensive customer service training in 2016.

External Partners:

We are humbled by our church’s mandate to provide Christ-centered, quality (but affordable) health care for a population of over 450,000.  As a not-for-profit organization, Ganta Hospital cannot afford to solely rely on the local intake that are not regular.  Further, the hospital’s “affordable” fee-for-service falls far below the costs of services provided.  Even with the minimum charges, some of the struggling rural subsistence farming families cannot afford to pay the full amount. Therefore, the management is mostly left with no alternative but to waive those fees. This situation requires that the hospital seek external supports to mitigate this gap in revenue generation while also realizing management must be creative in identifying self-sustaining services in the hospital to minimize reliance on outside supports. We are therefore pleased to report that contributions (of funds, supplies, equipment, etc.) from our partners helped keep the hospital stable and fully operational for the reporting period:

  • Global Health/Imagine No Malaria
  • General Board of Global Ministries Advance Special and all local churches and individuals supporting our Advance Special (#15080N)
  • East Ohio Conference
  • North Carolina Conference
  • Illinois Great River Conference
  • Rocky Mountain Conference
  • Stop Hunger Now
  • Curamericas Global
  • Germany and other European Partners (led by Mr. Siegfried Ziegler)
  • Virginia Conference
  • Baltimore Washington Conference
  • Indiana Conference/Operation Classroom
  • Detroit Conference
  • World Diabetes Foundation
  • Life For A Child (diabetes treatment support)
  • Christian Dental College- Ludihana
  • Plan International

Sustainability strategies for 2016:

  • Strengthen our fiscal and material management protocols;
  • Strengthen our pharmacy management through the ongoing improvement of our Drug Revolving Fund Scheme;
  • Upgrading our diagnostic capabilities in the laboratory and radiology departments;
  • Recruiting an experienced OB/GYN specialist to head the Maternal and Child Health Unit;
  • Continuing our building improvement (renovation and grounds).

 

Challenges/Opportunities to support us:

  • The systemic deplorable plumbing condition of the hospital requires urgent attention. The 1926 plumbing has outlived its usefulness and needs present-day plumbing materials. Even though we have improved the bathrooms by replacing fixtures, tiling and flooring, most of the departments and bathrooms are still without water running through the sinks and commodes;
  • The hospital has 8 separate buildings, some of which still maintain the roofing done in 1945. Every year we do patching repairs on the roofs and replace the ceiling tiles damaged by the leakages. This approach is not cost effective. With the pending rainy season (April through October), replacing the clay tile roofs has become urgent and necessary;
  • There is a need for a volunteer bio-medical engineer to come and repair our malfunctioning bio medical equipment and install other donated equipment that we have not been able to get a technician to do. A staff person will work alongside the volunteer so he/she can learn how to maintain the repairs/installations;
  • To support our ongoing electronic reporting and tracking systems, there is need for a volunteer IT specialist to come and help us establish maintenance protocols for our computerized equipment;
  • Our outstanding debt burden ($233,000.00 USD) accumulated prior to 2015 is an ongoing concern.

                                                            

 2015  Statistics

Data Description Grand Total
Out Patient Department 25933
Total Inpatient Admissions 4532
Total Births (# of babies delivered) 1225
General Surgeries 1389
Total Orthopedic Cases 1563
Dental Services 820
X-Ray Examinations 659
HIV Test done 1665
HIV Test Positive 61
Total persons that accessed the laboratory 19273
Total seen in Diabetes Clinic 843
Total malaria cases treated 5998
Total deaths 204
Total catchment communities 96
Total patients from Guinea 268
Total patients from Ivory Coast 1

  

2015 Financial Overview (Stated in USD)

Month Beginning Balance Registration& Admission Pharmacy(Drugs) General Surgery Laborartory Other Income *External Fund Total Income Total Expenses Variance
Jan-15   14,815.02            2,564.38       8,716.19      15,152.04         1,148.69       2,027.38     59,981.11       104,404.81         57,223.33          47,181.48
Feb-15                –            2,553.13       7,205.81      11,706.17         1,111.25       2,912.78     60,718.75         86,207.89         88,313.75          (2,105.86)
Mar-15                –            2,549.38       8,856.94      10,648.48         1,297.63       2,955.27   155,262.88       181,570.58       111,076.96          70,493.62
Apr-15                –            2,553.13     10,148.50      14,289.54         1,427.13       2,899.00       8,000.00         39,317.30         99,487.85        (60,170.55)
May-15                –            2,541.88     13,425.31      14,317.06         1,936.31       3,192.01     23,627.60         59,040.17         57,268.95            1,771.22
Jun-15                –            2,534.38     14,487.38      12,094.73         1,793.88       3,230.82   173,653.75       207,794.94         82,040.56        125,754.38
Jul-15                –            2,518.72     11,903.94      21,719.97         1,540.47       3,309.49     68,488.00       109,480.58       122,802.73        (13,322.14)
Aug-15                –            2,732.84     12,118.47      12,483.64         1,566.06       3,080.49       5,673.20         37,654.69         80,743.36        (43,088.67)
Sep-15                –            3,131.13     13,201.19      15,730.50         1,736.88       3,677.13     22,399.00         59,875.81         64,110.44          (4,234.63)
Oct-15                –            2,835.40     11,598.64      11,886.48         1,704.49       2,622.95     20,000.00         50,647.96         80,024.36        (29,376.40)
Nov-15                –            2,596.77       7,686.08      12,343.33         1,061.70       1,322.90     29,047.00         54,057.78         77,989.79        (23,932.01)
Dec-15                –            2,805.86     11,143.24      10,062.99         1,515.63       2,395.00     42,206.00         70,128.71         68,138.10  

1,990.62

Total   14,815.02          31,916.99  

  130,491.68

   162,434.93       17,840.11     33,625.21   669,057.29    1,060,181.23       989,220.17          **70,961.05

 

NOTES:  *  Includes a one-time Ministry of Health (government) grant of $300,000.00 USD

               **  Balance carried forward to 2016: USD $70,961.05  (36% is general funds and 64% is designated funds)

 

SUPPORT OUR WORK

 

We invite you to support our Ganta Hospital Advance Special #15080N. 

Please consider coming as a volunteer and share your presence and expertise which strengthens our health care delivery. We love hosting you and building long lasting relationships.  We are thankful to all our partners and to our dear Bishop, Rev. Dr. John G. Innis, our UMC leadership staff, and our UMC Health Board leadership for all the support and guidance. Together, our mission can be fulfilled.  Please keep us in prayers and may the good Lord bless and guide all of us!!

 

Sincerely,

Patrick M. Mantor

pmantorm@gmail.com

Advance Number 15080N  (www.umcmissio

East Ohio Conference donates to the Caretaker Facility

Ephraim Yangean , President of Ganta Hospital Workers Association, discusses a new project undertaken by the hospital workers.  They are constructing a caretaker center for patients’ family members who escort their sick relatives to the hospital but have have nowhere to stay.  East Ohio Conference is assisting with the project.

 

Mr. Yangean standing infront of cement blocks made to complete the caretaker's facility

Mr. Yangean standing infront of cement blocks made to complete the caretaker’s facility

Mr. Mantor and Mr. Yangean standing infront of the facility.

Mr. Mantor and Mr. Yangean standing infront of the facility.

 

Newsletter-Patrick Mantor

Dear Partners and Friends in Ministry,

I bring you heartfelt greetings from the Ganta Hospital family located in Ganta, Liberia, serving a population of more than 450,000.  We are very excited to update you about the work that is occuring here with the support of our various stakeholders and partners.  We celebrate and embrace our Christ-driven mandate to provide affordable, quality healthcare.  Our communities of subsistence farming families deserve the best. The hospital service fees are set at an “affordable” rate.  We cannot charge realistic fees to a public struggling to support their basic needs: food, shelter, and clothing.   Funding resources are limited in comparison to realistic operating budget.  We must seek creative and diversified ways to ensure services we provide can be sustained…..and this must begin at home!  We are very happy to share about our local partnerships and the creative and resourceful cost saving measures we  are using:

  • Christian Health Association of Liberia (CHAL) provides support for our triage construction, waste disposal system, in-service trainings, provision of drugs and medical supplies and fencing our hospital compound;
  • The Liberian Government, through its Ministry of Health, provides the following supports:  annual subsidy, ambulances (one dontated by government and another by Representative Jeremiah Koung),

 

125kg  generator, personnel- pharmacist and two part time doctors, in-service training, drugs and medical supplies;

newsletter ambulance pics

Ambulances donated and dedication service

  • Nimba County 2015 Social Development Funds allocation provides for renovating and expanding our record room;
  • International Medical Corps (IMC) provides training for our midwives;
  • Africare provides financial support for our community based primary healthcare program;
  • Project Concern International (PCI) provided materials and labor to paint and sanitize our Eye Center and electrical wiring to extend our electrical access throughout our compound;
  • Plan Liberia provided mattresses for our hospital beds;
  • Gompa District United Methodist Women, through our local churches, provide local food for patients’ feeding;
  • We are utilizing our land resources by identifying trees that can be sawed into lumber to make furniture. We purchased a chain saw and are making furniture for our out patient clinic and other waiting areas;

 

newsleter wood pic

  • Side piecees from the sawing is used to make charcoal for our daily cooking needs;
  • Our United Methodist Church, through its Board of Health, provides adequate administrative oversight and holds us accountable to comply with fiscal and material management protocols;
  • We are identifying and gradually improving self-sustaining services such as: drug revolving fund system, improving lab and x-ray services, OB/GYN services (maternal and child health), etc.

UPDATES

  • During a recent meeting, our Board of Health informed us “The general sanitation and face-lift of the hospital has dramatically improved”. We thank God!
  • General renovation work is ongoing. Physical structure and grounds of the hospital improved.
  • Drug Revolving Fund Scheme established and functioning well.
  • We are in compliance with our 2015 Operation Plan.
  • We recently received supplies and equipment from North Carolina Conference, Stop Hunger Now and our partners in Europe (Germany and Switzerland). These donations will help subsidize our operational budget and provide us with equipment and medical supplies in support of our efforts to provide quality health care.
  • Global Health’s Imagine No Malaria support: provided a new pickup truck to enhance our outreach and local partner engagement efforts (we only had one aging pickup); 2. Provided funds to “jump start” our Drug Revolving Fund Scheme; 3.  Provided laboratory reagents, supplies and equipment to strengthen our ability to diagnose malaria as well as other illnesses; 4.  Provided training opportunities and nets for pregnant mothers and children under five.
  • Global Ministries’ Advance Special and other partnership organizations strengthens our ability to honor and realize our vision:  To be the clear first choice for health care by offering targeted programs and services at affordable costs to improve the lives of those we serve in our catchment communities and beyond.

 

STATISTICS

# Data Description Jan-Sept 2015 Total
1. Out Patient Clinic visits (including Eye Clinic) 19601
2. Total in-patient bed admission 3422
4. Total births (babies delivered) 816
5. Surgeries 1069
6. Dental services 589
7. Orthopedic services 1212
8. X-ray examination 488
9 HIV tests done 1226
10 HIV test positive 37
11 Total persons that accessed  lab 12621
12 Diabetes clinic 300
13 Total villages reached by Primary Health Care Team 34
14 Total deaths 141

 

OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT US

  1. Pray with us.
  2. Come as a short or long term volunteer in the following areas:
  • general surgeons and OB/GYN specialists;
  • engineers or technicians in areas such as plumbing, electricity, and general construction;
  • specialized nurses in the areas of diabetes, ER, and OR;
  • computer hardware and software technicians;
  • medical equipment technicians.

 

  1. Support our Global Ministries Advance Special Ganta United Methodist Hospital Advance #15080N:
  • Use Global Ministries’ website: umcmission.org to electronically send a donation for our project support, Ganta Hospital Advance Special #15080N and/or Dr. Albert Willicor’s salary support (#15151Z).
  • You may also mail a check to your local United Methodist Church or conference office; or directly to Global Ministries. Write “Ganta Hospital Advance #15080N” on the memo line of your check and mail to: Advance GCFA

     P.O. Box 9068

           New York, NY 10087-9068. 

 

I look forward to hear from you.  Thanks always for reaching out with words of support and encouragement, financial gifts and material donations.  I am thankful for all our partners and to our dear Bishop, Rev. Dr. John G. Innis, our UMC officials and staff, and our UMC Health Board leadership for all the support and confidence rendered me. Together, our mission can be fulfilled.  May the good Lord bless all of you!!

 

Sincerely,

Patrick M. Mantor

Advance Number 15080N

pmantorm@gmail.com

 

Newsletter-Patrick Mantor September Update

newsletter header

A little over a week ago, we received an ocean freight container comprising very essential hospital equipment and supplies from our partners in Germany.  One of the most critically needed items was the incinerator.   Waste disposal has been an ongoing challenge for us.  With our own resources, we were able to only construct crude, temporary ground based waste disposal pits.  These pits are not environmentally friendly nor are they consistent with national and international sanitation standards.  But, it was the best we could do.

In recent years, local organizations like Christian Health Association of Liberia (CHAL) and the government of Liberia through its Ministry of Health stepped in to strengthen our efforts by providing funding to improve our waste disposal system.  However, even these improved methods aren’t sufficient to accommodate the volume of waste produced on a daily basis in our struggle to provide health care in a resource poor setting among a rapidly increasing population.  Given our financial constraints, we found ourselves again using crude, temporary measures by creating additional ground dug pits. The provision of the modern incinerator from our German partners assures us that together, with the help and support of partners, resource challenged facilities like Ganta Hospital can meet international safety and sanitation standards!

      We have a moral and ethical mandate to provide Christ-centered, quality (but affordable) health care for a population of over 450,000; mostly consisting of subsistence farming families in rural, northeastern Liberia and along the borders of Guinea and Ivory Coast.  We are a regional referral hospital.  Access to health care in Liberia is challenged by poverty, poor or non-existent roads, low levels of literacy, and dramatically insufficient numbers of health facilities to meet the needs of a growing population.  Discerning creative and resourceful methods to address ongoing healthcare needs in a resource challenged setting can be stressful and daunting.  Our strength is this:  We know our efforts are guided by Christ and with the prayers of the faithful, and support from all our partners, we will humbly fulfill our mandate.  We believe this.

During the past four months, we have focused on improving the overall sanitation and safety in our hospital buildings and campus.  We want people who access our hospital services to experience our compassionate care in a safe and sanitary environment. Our recent efforts have involved provision of effective waste disposal sites, physical plant improvements such as re-screening all windows, provision of screen doors, roof repairs, painting strategic parts of the hospital, repairs and renovations of bathrooms, masonry repairs, replacement of rotted wood and timbers, removal of excessive foliage on hospital grounds to prevent conditions conducive for breeding mosquitoes (to control malaria).   Also, we trained our janitors and general staff on infection control and prevention methods.   Creating a safe work environment is our primary goal in improving our service delivery.  The ripple effect is a beautiful face-lift to the hospital which restores confidence among our public, thus encouraging greater client access.  We heavily rely upon fee-for-service to operate the hospital.

With our own resources, coupled with local and external partners support, we will do all we can towards achievement of our goal for renovation and sanitation improvement.  We still have a ways to go.   Our most prioritized needs now are to replace ceramic floor tiles on our various wards and modernize our Labor and Delivery Ward to prevent cross infections among our new born and their mothers.

We invite you to support our efforts with your prayers, notes of encouragement, material and supplies contributions, volunteering and financial support.   Please support our Ganta Hospital Advance Special #15080N.  Consider coming as a volunteer and share your presence and expertise. You may use Global Ministries’ website: www.umcmission.org  to electronically send a donation for our project support- Ganta Hospital Advance Special #15080N. You may also mail a check directly to Global Ministries.  Write “Ganta Hospital Advance #15080N” on the memo line of your check and mail to:

Advance GCFA ; P.O. Box 9068 ; New York, NY 10087-9068. 

Thank you so much!  A comprehensive newsletter covering the current quarter (July-Sept) will be sent in October.

 

Humbly yours,

Patrick Mantor, Administrator, (pmantorm@gmail.com

Ganta United Methodist Hospital