The Michael Thomas Foundation, a humanitarian group, has begun addressing the medical needs of the people of Montserrado County’s district #4, by providing an ambulance with a free mobile clinic service.
The mobile clinic is a specialized kind of medical service that moves from community to community to help alleviate the medical challenge the people of the district face, especially residents who live in the rural part of the district. The program was launched on Saturday in three communities: Cross-River, Nabal and Norvleh Town.
“Today is the launch, and we are here to witness the testing of over 100 residents of Cross River community and two other communities,” Michael Thomas, the Founder of the organization, said with compassion. “It will capture the three communities, which are situated in the rural parts of district #4.”
In Liberia, many people find it difficult to seek medical attention weekly or monthly due to financial constraint. Some districts do not have medical facilities at all, compelling the residents to travel extra miles for medication.
“Considering the condition of the health sector, you know that there are many people who do not have access to medical facilities because they cannot afford, and so we thought to do it differently to encourage people to come to the clinic,” Thomas said.
The mobile clinic service is the first of its kind since the formation of the district. Thomas was the first patient to be tested and treated, followed by over one hundred residents. The nurses and doctors treated people based on their diagnosis.
“You are tested and treated for malaria, typhoid, ulcer, and so on,” Thomas said.
The ambulance will offer 24-hour service to the district, and will move from community to community every Saturday. Its service will not be limited to the district alone, but nationwide.
“It is not restricted to district #4; it is also registered with emergency response services, which is the government’s ambulance service. If there are emergency services as far as New Kru Town, Doe Community or elsewhere, we will render service there,” Thomas said.
According to him, the foundation does not have international support; rather, gets support from family, friends and partners, among others, to run it.
“There is no wide range support, lest to say we have some international support. My family and I and few friends who are passionate about the medical condition of our country are the ones undertaking the initiative,” Thomas said, squeezing his lips.
The three communities are challenged in so many ways: they lack school, clinic, bridge and electricity, and gets flooded every rainy season. Beneficiaries, including women, youth president, pastor and town chiefs of the communities expressed joy for the free medical service and thanked the Thomas Foundation for the humanitarian gesture. The Cross-River community has a huge population without any medical facility.
“We rush sick persons to nearby clinics—that’s what we usually do. There are over five thousand residents in Cross-River community, but the place lacks safe-drinking water, pit latrine and other basic services,” William Whergar, Town Chief of Cross-River, said.
Apart from the medical service, the Foundation in December 2022 restored a transformer in Block “A”, Cowfield, which was out of electricity for years, and as well hosted children parties in Soul Clinic and Du-Port Road communities. It runs a scholarship program and a loan program.