Wee-Statutory District Representative, Vincent Willie, has, with the support of ten Chinese doctors, launched a community health initiative in Grand Bassa’s Wee-Statutory District.
The team of specialized Chinese doctors, which includes physicians, physician assistants and surgeons, amongst others, arrived in Wee District Friday, August 12, 2022, to run a mobile clinic that was launched by Representative Willie.
They are under the banner, “The 15 China (Heilongjinag) Medical Team to Liberia, in Celebration of the 5th Chinese Doctors Day”.
The team assembled at the Gorblee Youth Center in Wayzohn City as dozens of citizens trooped in with different kinds of conditions, hoping that the Chinese could bring basic relief to them.
On day one alone, they were able to provide services to more than 450 people, according to the district’s lawmaker.
Medical services being rendered by the Chinese are said to meet technical and service quality standards for a primary health Centre through the provision of a suggested package of services under 12 thematic areas: maternal health, neonatal and infant health, child and adolescent health, reproductive health, contraceptive services, etc.
The head of the Chinese medical team, Dr. Wang Liang, said the team will provide medical services of all kinds to Liberians. They are expected to move between Buchanan and Wee-Statutory District.
Dr. Wang told reporters it was “cheerful” to see the kind of reception given the team of medical doctors by the people so far.
“The Bassa people are good people; they welcomed us well, and we love the reception they gave to us. With this we know we will have a good relationship,” he said.
At the Gorblee Youth Center, it was a memorable event seeing the joy put on the faces of the community residents being provided with free medical services, largely deficient across several parts of a district with just one ideal public health facility, which is unequipped and cannot meet the needs of the people.
Representative Willie said he lobbied with Chinese authorities to come to the district and help strengthen his health outreach program which, according to him, continues to play a critical role in improving and extending healthcare through activities such as health education, case management, basic health screening and facilitating access to health services “to our people”.
“I did not pay a cent to anyone,” said lawmaker Willie. “Neither the doctor nor my people are paying a dime for the treatment.”
Willie disclosed that the 450 people treated on day one included children, men and women who had come with different health conditions.
“This means a lot to me and my people. They are even requesting the doctors to return to Wee as regularly as possible,” he said. “As you may be aware, hospital and access to medical drugs or treatment are a huge challenge for our people in rural communities in Liberia.
“We were blessed to have had the Chinese doctors helping us. A very big thank-you to the doctors and the People’s Republic of China,” an appreciative Willie said.
The Wee-Statutory District lawmaker has meanwhile revealed that he hopes to expand the mobile community health initiative to other parts of the county, but that he will have to engage the Chinese embassy for such assistance again.
Representative Willie, a first-term lawmaker, praised China for its development assistance and said he fully supports the “One China Policy”, which is ideal for global peace and development.
He said he believes the “One China Policy” can help speed up Liberia’s development through ideal bilateral and multilateral programs between China and Liberia.
Meanwhile, the citizens have greeted the medical outreach with utmost pleasure and thanked Representative Vincent Willie and the Chinese People.
Isaac Whehgar, a resident of St. John Town, which lies at the border with Bong County, said he travelled for nearly three hours to seek help from the team. “My eye has been hurting, and I came here since yesterday after I heard that the lawmaker was bringing white people to treat us, and thank God they gave me plenty medicine,” Whehgar stated.
For Mamie Flomo, a resident of MIE Community, Wayzohn City, the initiative is the first of its kind. “Only God can pay Vincent Willie for what he and the Chinese people are doing in compound three today,” she said.
Meanwhile, the citizens are asking their representative to expand the medical outreach to all parts of the district, including major towns and villages which are far to reach.
Wee District, a place of more than thirty three thousand (33,000) people according to the 2008 census, has a very poor healthcare delivery system due to poverty, lack of road connectivity and inadequate health professionals, as well as irregular medical supplies.