GOMPA, Nimba – The Esther and Jereline Koung Medical Center has announced a free maternal service for pregnant women seeking treatment at the facility beginning Feb. 1.

Addressing reporters in Gompa over the weekend, Victor Kpisseh, the human resource manager at the hospital, said that the center had received US$250,000 as a subsidy from the government under the 2016-2017 approved national budget. That has allowed the facility to provide relief to its maternal patients.

Kpisseh said the board of directors’ decision “is to have all pregnant women coming to [the] hospital on a free-of-charge basis.”

He did not state plans for the institution to extend a similar subsidy of services to other patients.

“If you’re pregnant and don’t have the means to go to a hospital, the E & J Medical Center is opened to you to go there,” he added.

The center was built to fulfill parts of campaign promises made by Rep. Jeremiah Koung of Nimba’s first district in 2011. Following years of construction, the hospital was finally finished in April 2016.

Notwithstanding, it remains unclear as to whether the hospital will be turned over to the Government of Liberia for use as a public facility or if it will remain as an institution belonging to the Nimba lawmaker.

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah