Greetings from Monrovia, Liberia.  Today is Liberia’s Independence Day – though independence from whom?  Most will mention independence from being a US colony – they chose the day they adopted their constitution in 1847 but then others will give you a different story. 

For this blog, I am focusing on our strategic donations.  Last year here in Liberia we received and donated hospital and medical supplies, eight anesthesia systems, and biomedical equipment for the Ministry of Health’s training workshop. 

In 2022, our focus has been on the donation of nurse assessment kits, scrubs, and later additional anesthesia systems.
Nurse Assessment Kits – this was a special request from one of our focal points at the Ministry of Health – the items were selected and with great assistance, purchases were made and items were sent to Liberia to be assembled into these colorful bags.  Each kit contained a stethoscope, sphygmomanometer to measure blood pressure, non-contact infrared forehead thermometer, artery forceps, bandage scissors, sharp scissors, reference cards, penlight, and lapel watch – all to assist them to do their head-to-toe assessments.  Our costs for these quality items for the kits (~US $170) are more than a monthly salary of a nurse working in Liberia.  The team is capturing some short video clips of their gratefulness for this donation.    

Photo:  Distribution of the nurse assessment kits at a One Day Symposium for Nurses and Midwives, held by the Nursing Division of the Ministry of Health in Kakata in Margibi County.  I was able to attend the afternoon sessions and was given the opportunity to share an update on Mercy Ships and some encouragement.

Photo:  We were able to send up with a training team going on a MAF flight to Tapeta in Nimba County the nurse assessment kits for those at the Jackson F. Doe Referral Hospital – one of the recommended hospitals – many are seen in the above photo holding their bags in front of their hospital.  

Photo:  We received the 20′ container at our Team Apartment, on a Saturday afternoon I’m sorting the scrubs.  We converted our downstairs living room into a mini-warehouse.  Maybe similar to my office on Deck 3 forward of the Africa Mercy

Photo:  Yahyah, who is a Mercy Ships Liberia team member, prepped the packages for the medical facilities.  He is also delivering most of them also.  

We are working on additional donations of the Diamedica Glostavent Anesthesia Systems and patient monitors for hospitals in Liberia.

Please stand with us and pray for the nation of Liberia and its people.  I have lived here since November 2020 and it is my home – I have residency, airport restricted pass, port restricted pass, driver’s license, phone number, address, and a Liberian name – though a few wish to give me more Liberian names.