MSF hands over children’s ward at Barnesville Primary Health Care Centre to Ministry of Health

On Friday 27 September, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) handed over the 25-bed paediatric unit at Barnesville Public Health Care Centre (PHCC) in Monrovia to the Ministry of Health. 

This paediatric unit was officially opened by the Minister of Health in October 2023, but MSF began supporting the facility in December 2022 when the Ministry requested support with a pilot project they were initiating as part of their new 2022-2031 health strategy.  

One of the aims of this nine-year health strategy was to upgrade a number of PHCCs within the country into comprehensive health care centres so that they would be able to provide inpatient treatment. Barnesville PHCC in Monrovia was selected as the facility where this new approach would be piloted, and – following extensive rehabilitation and construction work carried out by MSF – it now has a fully functioning paediatric ward that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

The construction and rehabilitation work began in December 2022 and, since then, MSF has established a five-bed intensive care unit, a nine-bed general inpatient children’s ward, a nine-bed inpatient therapeutic feeding centre (ITFC), and a two-bed isolation unit. During the time of MSF’s support, 1,124 children were admitted for treatment in the ITFC, 1,095 children were admitted onto the general children’s ward, and 669 children were admitted to the intensive care unit.  

MSF also established a 24/7 electricity supply for the emergency room, ICU and laboratory, and drilled a borehole to provide clean water, including drinking water, for the entire PHCC – including the existing maternity unit and adult outpatient departments that were already run by the Ministry of Health. A number of staff trainings were also conducted to increase skills and knowledge and improve quality of care. At the event on Friday, MSF also donated an ambulance to the facility. 

Yann Diplo, Head of Mission for MSF in Liberia, said: 

“It has been a great pleasure to support the Ministry of Health with their ambitions for Barnesville PHCC and we are delighted that the facility can now be fully incorporated into the Liberian public health system. Over the past 21 months, the facility has treated a total of 2,680 children in the emergency room, and 90 per cent of them have required inpatient treatment. Patients have come to Barnesville PHCC not only from within the capital, but also from as far away as Grand Cape Mount, Lofa, Nimba, Bomi, Bong and Margibi counties, demonstrating that there is a clear need to increase inpatient treatment for children across the country. Following the success of this pilot project, it is clear that the Ministry of Health’s plans to upgrade additional PHCCs will make an impact in the years to come, and we wish them continued success as they work to improve access to health care within the public health system for children across the country.” 

Friday's handover ceremony was attended by Dr Ruby Weeks - medical director of the Barnesville PHCC, Dr Jewel Kollie - Montserrado County Health Officer, Richard Koon - honorable member of the federal house of representatives, representing District 11, Philip Allison - Somalia Drive District Commissioner, Madam Lomax - Kebbah community leader, as well as a number of community elders.